


Champion's Sword, Galar's Shield

by TMWolf



Series: The Chosen Trilogy [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Action, Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Epic Battles, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family Loss, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Legendary Pokemon, Original Character(s), Personal Growth, Pokemon, Pokemon Death, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Saving the World, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:20:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 141,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24497842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TMWolf/pseuds/TMWolf
Summary: Cassandra came to Galar running from a past she couldn't bring herself to face.Leon was running from his failure, and enemies that either wanted him on their side or dead.Be it fate or destiny, their meeting during a blizzard in the mountains was the start of a journey neither of them expected. The ending, however, is on a path wrought with danger. It's going to take everything they have to stop the madmen proclaiming themselves Kings and seem to bear some grudge against the legendary Warrior Pokemon who stopped Eternatus for a second time not long ago...But first, they have to survive the cold.Post-Pokemon Sword AU (heavy), slight slow burn.(Some chapters mature)
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Original Female Character(s), Hop/Yuuri | Gloria, Kibana | Raihan & Original Character(s)
Series: The Chosen Trilogy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1907779
Comments: 175
Kudos: 86





	1. Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Some things to know:
> 
> 1\. I don't follow typical battle format of the game. I try to be realistic and write how I feel fighting would go in the real world (i.e. no turn taking and Pokemon can act without commands if trained enough).
> 
> 2\. I overall try to be realistic about the world, too. Like Pokemon eating Pokemon and people eating fish/bird Pokemon (i.e., Farfetch'd, poor thing). 
> 
> 3\. Heavily AU. I basically take the post-game plot and run with it, making it a lot darker and more intense. I always thought it was such a silly plot line so yeah xD
> 
> 4\. Romance is cheese because I like cheese. This is actually my first mainly romance focus to go with adventure. It's kinda slight slow burn, but still happens kinda quick!
> 
> 5\. I don't know all canon history of regions perfectly so I take some liberties here and with other games' stories I involve, so also some heavy to light AU's for those games/areas, too! 
> 
> 6\. Leon's character is my interpretation of things with my own spin on it, too, so sorry if he's a bit OOC?
> 
> 7\. Eventual smut towards the end, you're welcome.
> 
> Feel free to comment, be it questions or mistakes you find! I always love answering :D

\---------------------------

_Somewhere south of Wyndon..._

The blizzard had gotten worse, and it made Cassandra even more grateful for her Arcanine that pressed through the high drifts and freezing winds. Snow pelted his coat, but it was plenty thick and heat radiating from within his belly, so he was unfazed. It helped her keep warm, too, where her thermal coat and winter gear didn't do the job. Luckily, she had become somewhat accustomed to such weather in the higher reaches of the Wyndon mountains during dead of winter. After all, she'd only been camping for months now with her Pokémon, enduring all it had to give. If anything, this was just another Monday—if it was that, she honestly wasn't sure—although it was windier than she expected. Visibility was almost minimal, but her Arcanine's nose and keen sense of direction were practically second to none.

Glancing through her ski-goggles and beneath her fur-lined hood she could just make out the rise of a ledge, the shape of which reminded her of a Dragonite's head, horn and all. The cave she and her team had come to take shelter in was that way, up on the very ledge they were nearing. It wouldn't be long now before she and the others in their pokéballs could get warm. She imagined the three she left waiting for her there were getting a little worried, but they couldn't bear the cold like the others could. She would have rather not gone out at all today, but they were a little low on supplies. They'd ventured out in originally in sunshine, but that was one of the dangers of any trek in the mountains: weather changed quickly. That, or sometimes the dangerous, and occasionally unruly ice-type Pokémon living here liked to throw a fit. This time, though, it had been only nature talking.

"You doing okay, Arc?" Cassandra spoke loudly over the wind, touching the soft, white-tan fur of her companion. He glanced back, blue eyes bright in the dimming light, and gave an affirmative bark. She nodded and urged him off, nestling her body into the back part of his mane. As always, she could trust her friend, who had her back since she was just a young girl. They had always been together, and nothing, not even Arceus itself, could tear them apart. She could say the same for the rest of her team, of course, even if some she'd only met here a year ago in the Galar region. They were her team, and she couldn't imagine life without them.

Arcanine suddenly paused, ears flicking back and forth quickly as its head turned this way and that. Cassandra watched carefully, trying to read the signs. He was uncertain of whatever it was he was hearing, no doubt the noise and scent swept up and away in the winds, but he could sense it. She felt the rumble in his chest move through his body, but it was of concern, rather than unease. Seeing nothing ahead, the young woman raised her gaze skyward, peering through the mostly white blur. There was something out there—her Arcanine was sure of it. But no flying Pokémon would dare do so during a storm, and there were no flying ice-types around here. Not that she knew of—or anywhere besides Articuno, but that beautiful creature was easily a thousand miles away in Kanto somewhere still. So, what could it be?

"Ah!" she gasped, spotting the flicker of red the same time her Arcanine did, alerting her with a bark. He bounded towards it, though not too quickly. Yet, even so, the red was approaching faster, bobbing unnaturally and seemingly against the wind. It was a Pokémon, that she was sure of. Arc wouldn't act like he was did if it wasn't, and his concern cemented one thing for her: it was hurt. An injured fire Pokémon wouldn't last long out here. Oh, to be sure they could endure the cold better than most besides an ice type, but even they had limits. Fires could go out.

The red light suddenly plummeted, a mournful cry echoing through the blizzard's howl. Arc's bounding turned to quick leaps; snow blasted behind with each push of its powerful legs. The red was flickering now, so very weak in the white, and panic filled her. The Pokémon didn't have long, but, thankfully, her companion was faster.

She couldn't help staring at the sight before her.

A Charizard.

A full-fledged, living Charizard.

In a blizzard.

They technically were native to Galar, but so very exceedingly rare. In fact, she only knew of one person who had one, and any others were either found in dangerous dens after searching for ages, or they would have to be specially brought from Kanto, which another long-winded feat all by itself.

"Arc, hurry, put some fire to that flame," she commanded, slipping from her Arcanine's back. While she trudged slowly, rummaging for potions and restores, her companion curled around the fallen Charizard and opened its maw by the weak flame on the tip of its tail. With a hiss fire flared from its jaws slowly, melding with the small flame. It wouldn't burst it to life right away, but it would keep it from going out. If they wanted to fully heal the rare creature, they would have to raise its body temperature so it could keep the flame strong on its own.

The Charizard groaned when she reached it, eyes opening weakly. It did not shy away from her, or even snarl. Rather, it seemed to welcome her hand on his head, gently stroking along its smooth, scaled skin. It had turned a pale shade of orange. She quickly pulled out a full restore and unscrewed the cap. It wouldn't heal it immediately, but it would help.

"Hang on, we'll get you somewhere safe, but first drink this," she explained, and, to her surprise, the Charizard was compliant as she eased its head up, titling it slightly, and let her slowly pour the fluid into its jaw. Some spilled, but most of it got down. It groaned tiredly, but she knew it would ease the burden on its body.

Arcanine made a chuff-like sound, alerting her to something it was nosing on the body. It wasn't the easy to see in the blur of snow, but she could still make out the dark stains of blood from wounds. Nothing too deep, and some shallow at most, but they had taken a toll. That, or there were other injuries she wasn't aware of. Either way, the Charizard must have been flying for hours, but from where? And why? And where was its trainer? There was no way this a wild Pokémon just by its temperament. Charizard were notoriously proud and listened to only those they deemed worthy. Wild ones would never let a stranger get so close, especially when injured.

"Ah—hey, stop, don't move, you'll make it worse," she gasped when the Pokémon made to rise. It struggled, and a pained, mournful cry came from its throat, thought it did not seem to wince over its wounds. Rather, its gaze was into the flurry, staring at something hidden in the cold. Cassandra frowned, looking to Arcanine, who sniffed the air carefully. He made a bark, having found another scent. He shifted away from the Charizard, though paused to blow more fire to the small tail flame before bounding through the snow again, about a hundred feet away. He dug quickly for a few moments before finding its quarry—signaled by a distinct tail wag and yip. The Arcanine took hold of something, and in another bound, her companion had returned, a man in tow.

So, she'd been right—about two things: one, that the Charizard had a trainer; and two, that only one person in Galar had one.

The man Arc held by his shirt in his jaws was none other than Leon, former Champion of Galar. He, too, was injured, and no doubt freezing."

"Shit. Arc, we need to get them back to the cave. Quick, lay down and curl around him," she commanded, and her companion complied, setting the trainer down and maneuvering so the former champion was tucked into his side, head and tail closing the circle. Cassandra, meanwhile, took her two remaining pokéballs from her belt and called out her other Pokémon.

"Lucario, Tyranitar, sorry to bring you out, but it's an emergency. We need to bring the Charizard and his trainer to the cave. We need to hurry, though. Think you two can carry him alright? You need to be mindful of the tail. Arc, you'll need to keep warming it up as we go."

The smaller fighter type nodded with a confident bark, while her large Tyranitar merely grunted, as if offended that his prowess was in question. She grinned, always pleased with her companions. They had yet to fail her, and she prayed she would never fail them in turn. Still, she lamented exposing them to the cold, even if they were her more resilient Pokémon.

"Okay, let's get him on you then, Arc, easy does it," Cassandra hummed as she turned to Leon, who, like his Charizard, was pale. His wounds weren't too terrible, but he was hardly dressed for the cold in his red turncoat and tanned pants. They needed to warm him up soon. Luckily Arc gave off enough heat to help and was strong enough to carry both trainers. He would need to, as with Leon unconscious she was going to have to hold him up. It was no easy task, but the charcoal collar she'd given to her Arcanine made for a good grip. She glanced to her other two, whom had hefted up the Charizard easily enough, Tyranitar taking the bulk, and Lucario keeping the tail safely out of the snow and at a height Arcanine could blow fire on.

She nodded, "Alright, let's go. Fast as we can."

\---------------------------

'We took way too long,' Cassandra couldn't help thinking, but after an eternity of enduring the freezing wind they made it to the cave. There, her other Pokémon came rushing forward, both relieved and then confused by their new guests. Only her Lapras remained reserved in the back, not exactly capable of moving around easily. Her Boltund was, per usual, uneasy at their new guests, but trusted his trainer as she directed Tyranitar and Lucario to set the Charizard by the fire already going in the cave. Arc brought her and Leon close, so she only needed to slip off, lowering the man gently to the ground.

She motioned to the weak fire Pokémon, "Arc, quickly, curl around him again and keep the tail flame strong. Please increase the fire pit, too. We need it warmer in here. Corviknight, Lucario, can you go fetch some more blankets and my sleeping back from the tent? Our guest here is going to need all we have."

The dark-feathered bird chirped in agreement and hopped with her Lucario towards the small tent near the back, opening the flap to being shuffling around for the items in question. Cassandra, meanwhile, set Leon as close to the fire as she dared and quickly checked his pulse. It was weak, but still holding on. Good. His clothes were wet, though. How, she didn't know, but it wasn't good. He wasn't going to get warm any time soon with them on, to which she groaned. Her cheeks warmed a bit, too, knowing what had to be done, but it was that or he could get sick—if he already wasn't—and die.

"You're a grown ass woman, 'Cas. You've seen a man naked before—accident, of course, but still. And this is to save a life. Besides, you'll have him in blankets and sleeping bag soon," she quickly told herself, and, after a motivational slap to her cheeks—and a chuff that she knew was a laugh from her Tyranitar—she got to work. The boots and hat went first, which she set side in a pile. His coat and undershirt were a bit of an annoyance, the buttons proving difficult, but then they were off—she did her best not to stare at his incredibly fit figure and instead noted his breathing was getting a bit ragged—and then his pants followed suit, making sure to keep his belt with Charizard's pokéball near the fire. She didn't dare do more, and by then her Pokémon had brought what she needed. She motioned for Lucario to help, and he was gentle as he eased the young man up so he could be set down in her sleeping bag. The cloth interior would help, but she still put her blankets on top, covering him as best she could.

"Okay, that's what we can do for now... You're doing good, Arc. Keep it up. I'll tend to the wounds next. Lapras, can you make some fresh water?" the young woman asked, finally pulling off her goggles and hat. She would shed her coat at some point, too, what with the fire making the cave warm already, but for now she focused on gathering bandages, full restore sprays, and medical towels to help clean things up.

Lapras gladly nudged her a full bowl of water she'd made—always so eager to do some good—and her Pokémon were intuitive enough to form a blockade-of sorts from the weather outside by standing on the side of the fire closest to the entrance. She couldn't help smiling at them, always so proud of their work. She knew she could always count on them, but now the Charizard and Leon were counting on her.

"Alright, big guy... let's fix you up. And don't worry, we'll take good care of your trainer. You'll make it through just fine. Just let Arc keep you warm. He won't let your flame go out, promise," Cassandra spoke softly, stroking the Charizard's head. The Pokémon rumbled as it half-opened an eye, glancing at them all, then closed it again. Smiling gently, she began the next round of work.

\---------------------------

Cassandra did all she could for the Charizard, and was confident he could recover in a few days, so long as his tail kept strong, which she was sure it would, and there weren't any other underlying problems. Arcanine wouldn't fail in his task, and the others would do what they could to help, be it providing extra warmth, kindle, or food and water as needed. The Pokémon's trainer, though, would be another story. His life relied on keeping him as warm as possible and praying he didn't go hypothermic. She only had so many basic human medicines, and if his injuries were worse than she initially thought he could get an infection.

So, she got to work on him, too, lifting the blankets enough to inspect, but try to keep him from feeling the cold. Thankfully, he was better off than his Charizard, but she couldn't help but wonder what in the Alternate World had caused such injury to the Champion. Or, well, former one, but still. He was the #2 trainer in all the region; no one should have been able to do this to him—not with his Charizard around. The only one possibility would maybe be the current Champion, but she was a hero and a family friend. So who? Was it some fan taking a violent turn and somehow got around Charizard? Or an unhappy rival? There were people who would do such heinous things, with or without a Pokémon, but the Charizard just made it seem so unlikely.

Cassandra shook the thoughts from her head as she turned her focus to bandaging the young man and then returning the blankets. There, he would be alright. She hoped. For now, though, she needed food, as her stomach reminded her. She imagined her Pokémon were famished, too. Thankfully, she had plenty of packaged meal to put into her pot, and also some fresh supplies they'd gathered. It wasn't easy catching Arrokudas in this season, let alone the area which hosted few bodies of water, but they'd lucked out. She was grateful for the fishermen who taught her how to gut, which made it possible for her to cook a fish curry for everyone, although she added some pokécubes for her team. They, of course, were delighted.

The Charizard made a sigh-like sound as it roused, still weak, but it couldn't resist the smell of food. Cassandra chuckled as she knelt beside him and held out her own bowl, which had a bit left.

"Here, eat this. Not too much just yet. You're still weak," she explained, although she wasn't sure it heard as it slowly scarfed down the rest. It settled back down after, breathing slow and steady. Good. Cassandra looked to his trainer. He was still unconscious, but he looked better. He was less pale, anyways. She'd have to keep a decent vigil with the help of her team. She was the only trainer for miles, after all, and she couldn't let Galar's former Champion die. He might have finally lost a few months ago, but that didn't mean he was any less important to the country—and to his friends and family. He was still needed, so she'd do her damned best to keep him alive.

She just hoped the one who did this didn't come looking—she couldn't guarantee the son of a bitch would leave the mountain without burns. If at all.

"Alright, let's get a watch going. I'll keep an eye on him first. Lucario you're next. Then Corv, Boltund, and then Tyranitar. Arcanine, stay awake as long as you can, but sleep when you feel you need to, just keep the tail near the fire. Lapras, care to sing us a good tune—but not to sleep?" Cassandra chuckled as she began to slip off her coat. The water-type Pokémon grinned impishly before a melodic tune filled the cave, drowning out the howls outside. Cassandra couldn't help humming along as she started her vigil beside the man's head, making sure she could notice any changes in his condition. His face contorted suddenly, as if in a bad dream.

"Don't worry, you're safe, Leon," she called out softy, placing her hand on the side of his face. The touch made him flinch at first, but combined with her words, it seemed to help. He relaxed—just enough. Cassandra nodded to herself, pleased, and braced herself for a long, tense night.


	2. Warmth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI and strength reference: Arcanine, Tyranitar,and Lucario would be around lvl 100 essentially, the other three ~60 - 70 (I got to that by end-game preeeetty easy so it's within reason), with adjustments for "realism" aspects I include that you'll see later.

\-----------------

There were a few things Leon was aware of when he came to.

One, he was rather warm, and last he recalled was being half-frozen.

Two, he was undressed and covered in blankets.

Three, he was in a cave.

And, four, he was being stared at by a Corviknight.

The dark-feathered bird tilted its head this way and that, watching at him intensely with its big, red eyes. It blinked once, peering closer and making his heart race a little faster. Was he dead and didn't know it and this was some strange bodily experience that let him witness the moment he became food for a Pokémon?

Thankfully, it was just a silly—perhaps even delirious—thought, as the Pokémon only cawed, shaking its feathers before hopping away. Growls and chirps and chuffs filled his ears next and he turned his face to look. If he weren't so exhausted, he would have jumped up in surprise at the sight of a Lucario, Lapras, Boltund, Corviknight, and Arcanine on the opposite side of the fire—along with a familiar Charizard. His companion was awake, watching him with a pleased smile. His long-time friend made to move, but the Arcanine let off a short barking growl while using its paw to push the fellow fire-type back down. To his surprise, his Charizard only grumbled back as its furry compatriot only blew another small blast of fire onto its tail, which looked good, albeit a bit weak. Not unlike his owner.

"Where...?" Leon questioned, although it was more of a groan as he began to ease himself up. He found out just how weak he really was then, when the task alone was exhausting. He also underestimated the warmth of the blanket and couldn't help hissing when the cold air hit his bare skin. It was then he remembered he was practically naked save for his briefs. He couldn't stop the heat in his cheeks as he quickly pulled the blankets close, and glanced around for his clothes. He found them, to his surprise, hanging on the spikes of Lapras' shell, which had positioned itself near the flame—to dry them, he realized.

Well, if he was sure of one thing, it was that these Pokémon had a trainer. A smart one. One he no doubt owed his and Charizard's life to.

The young man glanced to the cave entrance, where a snowstorm brewed. It wasn't as bad as the one he remembered fighting through before they fell, but there was no way they could travel still. They were definitely trapped here, but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The Pokémon were obviously friendly, and their trainer had saved him. Although, he had a lot of questions about that—some that did make him suspicious. After all, he couldn't recall many people who camped in caves in a blizzard in the mountains. The team was also strong--very strong. He could feel it. They might even be strong enough to take his on, which meant his Charizard was badly outmatched. They were _helping_ his Pokémon, though, so surely their trainer wasn't a bad one?

The Lucario barked suddenly, jostling Leon from his thoughts. He was greeted with a bowl of hot soup. Not much, about half full. He couldn't help raising a brow—it knew not to feed him too much? Or had its Trainer told it to do so? He might have considered it was drugged, but his growling stomach demanded he ignore that concern. So, he chose to be grateful and sipped carefully to relish in the warmth it sent through his body. It gave him some strength, back, too—enough to chuckle at his long-time friend.

"Made a new best friend I see. You _never_ cuddle with me like that," he winked, ever cheeky if he could help it. That, and he decided to believe they truly meant him no harm. His Charizard reared its head slightly, glared, and then turned around to pout and "ignore" him. He laughed, glad to see his Pokémon doing better. They'd almost died in that storm, and he wished he had never let themselves get into it, but it had been their only escape.

What a damned fool he'd been.

Worse still, the danger wasn't over. No, if anything, it was only beginning.

The Boltund's ears twitched and it stood up suddenly, tail wagging quickly while it yapped in excitement. The others also perked up, save for Arcanine who only lifted its head for a moment, but then refocused on Charizard's tail. Leon followed their attention to the front, where, of all things, a Tyranitar appeared. Instinctively, he tensed, if only because they could be territorial and cranky Pokémon and were one of the strongest kind to find in the wild. However, he soon realized the Pokémon were _happy_ to see the beast, especially the Corviknight, which danced around it, flapping its wings, and exchanged some kind of conversation in the form of chirps, squawks, barks, and grumbles. Leon couldn't help laughing and shaking his head, having never seen such a strange sight.

"Ah, you're up. Thank goodness!" came a feminine voice, and Leon was presented with a woman covered head to toe in winter gear that carried a thin layer of snow on top, which she did her best to shake off at the entrance. She pulled her hood back and ski goggles free, revealing red locks under a warm hat, and a only lightly-tanned, freckled face. Her gloves followed in suit so she could give her bouncing Boltund proper attention before taking it up into her arms like a young Yamper. It was oddly cute, and it was obvious all her Pokémon shared similar affection for her. Love and respect was there; the kind you didn't find every day. It reminded him of his own team. He cringed knowing they were resting unknowingly in the Battle Tower. At least they were being cared for. 

"Yeah. I... thank-you. I owe you my life," he nodded, eyes never leaving her as she came to sit by the fire, warming her hands. She glanced over at him, and then down. He frowned, confused, but then realized the position of the blankets, which didn't fully cover his front. His cheeks warmed once again as he pulled them back up with an awkward cough.

She chuckled, "Sorry. Your clothes should be dry now if you'd like to change."

"Ah, yes, I think I'd like that. Although, why did you...have to, uh..."

"Oh," she replied, realizing his meaning. She coughed herself, "Yes, well. They were wet and you were freezing. You needed to get warm—fast. Anyways, you can go change behind Lapras. Just be careful; she might play with your hair. She's cheeky."

"I see!" Leon laughed lightly, if only to be rid of his own anxiousness—it didn't work—as he stood up, blankets wrapped around himself, and did just that. To his relief, his garments were totally dry and also warm. He slipped everything on and began to fold the blanket, but was waylaid some when his hair was lightly tugged. He couldn't help chuckling as Lapras' face came ever-so close to his, gray eyes wide with curiosity. It hummed happily, nudging and lightly tugging at his clothes next. He rubbed its snout in response, "You're sweet, aren't you?"

It's chirp and smile were answer enough.

"Sorry—like I said, she's cheeky! But she's a sweet thing, I promise," the young woman grinned as he came back around. He was surprised to find she'd removed her jacket, revealing a more form-fitting long-sleeve. Then again, the fire was warm, and her Pokémon made a shield of sorts from the cold wind behind her.

"It's fine. You've raised some amazing Pokémon, by the way. All of them," he grinned, and then motioned to the Arcanine, "Did you teach them that—to keep the tail hot?"

"Sort of. It's a bit on instinct, too; Arc has always been protective, and fire types naturally have an affinity to each other. Well, to an extent. But in this case, he pretty much sees Charizard as his unruly Growlithe pup right now—hence the pinning antics. Don't worry, though; you can have your friend back once his flame is stronger. He's still recovering from his injuries, too. Speaking of, how are yours?"

"I'm tired, and a do have an ache in my side, but I feel fine otherwise. Mostly hungry. How long was I out?"

"One day... and a half technically," she hummed, and waved off his shock, "You took a slight fever, so it's only natural. Luckily your wound wasn't too bad. Charizard should be mostly healed by tomorrow, I think. Although...

The young woman looked to the entrance, "The storm is going to be going a while longer. Maybe into tomorrow but maybe not. All depends on luck and so long as some Ice Pokemon doesn't get pissed and start it over. Thankfully they seem to be at ease right now."

Leon frowned, "How do you...?"

"Tyranitar and I just went to check. They're used to me since I've been out here for months now, and I made a point to give them treats so they associate me with a good feeling. Still, I always bring Tyranitar. He may be type-weak, but he's still stronger and bigger than most of them, and a good glare can keep the unruly ones in line--," she spoke, though suddenly paused as if realizing something. She looked briefly at him, then back to the fire, cheeks turning a light pink, "Ah, sorry—I was rambling."

"No, it's fine—that all sounded fascinating, actually. You really know Pokémon, don't you?" he grinned, to which she shrugged sheepishly. "Seriously, I can tell from your team. They trust you a lot, enough so they were totally calm while you were away. Mine would be freaking out—especially Charizard."

She raised a brow, "Isn't that because you're bad with directions?"

It was his turn to blush, "Aaaah, what? How do you—?"

"I'd have to live under a rock and not just in a cave to know who _you_ are, Leon," she chuckled, and held out her hand. "Here, I'll make things even: I'm Cassandra. 'Cas for short."

"It's nice to meet you, Cassandra. Wish I could surprise you with _my_ name, buuut..."

"You were only the star of the Gym challenge, becoming Champion your first year and holding your title for _ten years straight_. But don't worry—I _won't_ ask you to do the pose."

"Normally I wouldn't be so relieved to hear you say that, but I'm still pretty tired," Leon grinned. He paused, though, and regarded her curiously. "Where are we, if you don't mind?"

"You're on the western side of the Wyndon mountain range. The far west, to be precise. You'd have to cross two mountain peaks to reach the path in the safe area or the rails."

"We got pushed pretty far," he mumbled, glancing to his Charizard then back to Cassandra, "So if you're out here... you must have collected all the badges, but I don't remember you—or your team in the challenge."

Cassandra hummed as she finally took up her own bowl to fill with food, "Because I never went to the Championship Cup—I didn't want to."

"...Er... _really_?"

"What? Is that so crazy?" she snickered.

"Well... yes? Everyone who takes the Gym Challenge wants— _wanted_ to try and beat me to be Champion. What about your sponsors?"

"I didn't have any."

Leon paused, brows scrunched, "That's not... you _can't_ _do_ the challenge without a sponsor."

"You can with special permission. I applied to the League and asked it be kept anonymous because I didn't intend to face the champion. I also made a 'donation', if you will, so that they technically wouldn't lose money even if they showed me on the viewers, so the League agreed. I guess I can understand the shock, though," Cassandra mused, sipping some of the warm fluid. "Not many do it that way. I think... its only ten so far? That's what I remember being told about a year or two ago, anyways. It might be more now."

"Dare I ask what the special permission was?"

"It's fine," Cassandra waved and began to rummage through the pack she had beside her. From it, she pulled out a case. When opened, he was presented with eight, glimmering badges. Definitely not Galar.

"Are those... _Johto_ badges?" he balked.

"Yep. Kanto underneath, and then I have a few other regions along with them. Galar's been the most recent visit, and I just haven't left yet. I didn't really feel like taking on another Champion either—especially not here. It's too much work and all the cameras are... _too much_. I didn't want it all regardless if I won or lost. I didn't become a trainer for that kind of attention—no offense."

"It's fine, and I can't say I blame you. It's been... nice, in a way, since I was dethroned," Leon hummed, tugging a blanket he'd once discarded back around him.

Cassandra watched him for a few moments, "You sure you should be telling me that?"

"What? Gonna rat me out to the press?" he smirked with a wink, but then shrugged. "You saved my life. I don't see a reason to not be candid. Besides, we're sort of trapped here and all we can do is talk, right? And It's not like it isn't true. I worry about Gloria--the new Champion, to be honest. It's a lot of pressure for someone that age. I got lucky... or maybe unlucky. I think she _is_ strong enough, but..."

"But you know how it is. Makes me glad the other regions aren't so bad. They don't even make you take on the role; you can let the previous one keep it. Made it easier for me to keep traveling."

Leon raised a brow, "So you _are_ a Champion."

"Only on my League ID Card. Lance is still holding his position back home, Cynthia I think might have passed it on, and Steven is still there. Alder should be, too."

"No wonder your team is so impressive. They've all seen quite a lot."

"Lapras, Boltund, and Corv are all from here, actually, so I've only had them a little over a year, but they fit in well. Arcanine and Tyranitar I've both had since I started in Johto, and Lucario I picked up in Sinnoh. He likes to act like he was an original, though."

The Pokémon in question made a bark-like sound and proceed to turn away, arms folded, and nose held high. Both trainers chuckled.

"Uh-oh, looks like he's upset with you," Leon smirked.

Cassandra winked, "He'll get over it soon enough."

Arcanine let out a soft bark, catching their attention. The large Pokémon finally slipped itself from the Charizard, whom was all too happy to finally stand and stretch, shaking away the kinks. It brought its tail around to inspect, and, pleased with the results, turned to its fellow fire-type. The two exchanged barks and growls before the lizard-like Pokémon nuzzled hers gently then huffed as if it was beneath him. Leon couldn't resist laughing as he got up and approached his partner, whom happily nuzzled into his purple hair. In turn he wrapped his arms around the large creature's head, unable to stop a shaky breath.

"I'm so glad you're okay, bud... and I'm so sorry for what happened. I shouldn't have done that to you," he murmured. The Charizard rumbled deeply, but only returned the embrace and then set his chin onto the man's head.

"I think he forgives you," Cassandra smiled.

Leon chuckled, "I think so. He's always been soft on me. Surprised he hasn't run off with how much I rely on him to know where I'm going."

"Well, good thing about Charizard's—once you have their loyalty, it's a sure-thing you won't lose it. At least when it comes to a good guy such as yourself."

The young man turned to show off a cheeky grin, "So... you think I'm a good guy, huh?"

"Huh? Ah! Oh!" Cassandra guffawed, flushing some. "Evidently, I should have left you in the snow. But if you _must_ know, _yes_. I think you're a good person. As does every Galarian and their Boltund. Now sit down and stay warm. Have a cuddle with Arcanine if you'd like."

"Oh, is it finally my turn?"

"I mean, Charizard is welcome to do it some more; Arcanine likes new friends," she smirked, earning a glower from the lizard and a toothy grin from her fire-type. "So.

She paused to wait for him to look, "How _did_ you come by here, anyways? You two fell out of the sky, and you weren't exactly unscathed. Not to mention... this isn't exactly the kind of place people just fly to."

The grim look that suddenly came over the young man told her the answer was nothing good. The cheerful, energetic ex-Champion was gone, and a man with a burden was in his place. She couldn't help feeling bad. In truth, she asked mostly out of curiosity, as it wasn't often you found a Pokémon _and_ trainer so injured. Wild Pokémon didn't make wounds like that, either. No, at most they could have maybe sporadic scratches and bruises, but the gashes and marks? The amount? They had been deliberately made. Precise. Only a human or a well-trained Pokémon would manage that. And, really, Charizard was _strong_. No wild Pokémon would be able to stand up to him. Even if he was at a disadvantage he could take most anything. Hell, she'd seen him take on a _trained_ Gyarados and come out on top during a match, which was something big.

Cassandra watched Leon's face grow darker and more pained. She frowned. Just how bad was it?

Waving her hand, she spoke, "You don't have to tell me. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stress you out. It's not my place to ask, so forget it. Just focus on getting 100% better."

"Thanks, sorry," he half-chuckled, his usually stupor hardly returned.

Truthfully, it was strange, not seeing the once upbeat Champion so boisterous. She only ever remembered him being all smiles and fanfare, although she supposed now it was somewhat forced. But even then, he seemed a normally a cheerful-looking person, and for all everyone knew he was . His little brother had said as much in interviews, and at the Battle Tower his jovial nature felt more genuine—from what little she saw when she was in town or had service anyways.

Maybe she—and the public—didn't know as much as she thought, which was a very likely possibility.

"Feel free to have more food if you want—there's plenty, and have a good amount of fish Pokémon I caught a few days ago to make more. There's enough for your Charizard as well, and I have treats they can enjoy when they're ready," she spoke up, breaking the tentative silence.

"Thanks, I do feel like I could eat some more now. Can't believe I was out for a whole day—and a half.

"Well, freezing half to death can do that," she replied as she held her hand out for his bowl. He did so gladly, and was even more glad for the soup, which he sipped readily. "I'm not sure I have warm clothes that will fit you."

"The blankets are fine. In fact, makes me feel like a kid again. Hop and I would do this every winter."

She laughed, "Sounds like you two had fun, although didn't you leave home when he was pretty young?"

"Ah, yeah—Went off at 10 on the challenge like an idiot who thought he was invincible... and then I was, but Hop was rooting for me the whole time even though he didn't fully understand at that age. I was lucky he was so supporting then and after. First year I was able to come home enough, but after that... It got busy."

"Yeah, I noticed Galar is a bit crazier about their Champions. In Johto all I had to do was give a radio host a few words. Other regions were about the same, but here? _Oof_."

"It's the sponsors," he shrugged.

"That's for sure. I mean, the League _is_ useful, but I'm glad they're less strict outside Galar. It was awful waiting for clearance for my Pokémon—even the ones with regional cousins."

"Oh, right, if you're from Johto they'd need to check for any diseases. There's Pokévirus over there, right?" he inquired, earning a nod. "So... your Arcanine and Tyranitar are from Johto, and the Lucario was Sinnoh. Must have been quite the inspection."

"Yeah, and I had to send half my original team home when I went through customs. But, like I said, I got to add three new amazing members. In fact, Corvi there was the first. Found him as a Rookidee. Or, well, I should say he found _me_ and my Pokémon. Little rascal tried to start a fight with Tyranitar."

Leon almost choked on his soup, coughing between laughs, " _W-What?!_ "

Cassandra grinned as she motioned for her bird Pokémon to hop over, which he did to gladly accept strokes of his feathers, especially under his armor, "Yep. He, for whatever reason, was mad I was on his 'turf', I reckon. He started going at Tyranitar for some reason. Yes, I _know_. What a dork, huh? I can only assume he knew who looked the toughest, and figured that was his best shot to become top bird. Tyranitar was about to slap him across the ground, but my Pidgeot intervened."

"Pidgeot?" he chuckled.

"Bird-type."

"Aaah... so bird protecting its fellow type?"

"Well, that... and she decided to immediately adopt him. Tyranitar wasn't too happy, but it didn't take long for the little guy to grow on him. Pidgeot could always bring him around to anything, anyways" she hummed, rubbing Corviknight's neck, earning a gentle coo. When she glanced to Leon, she noted his slight confusion. "My Pidgeot and Tyranitar are a bonded pair of sorts. Have been since Johto, so just about or a little over a decade now."

"That's... I wouldn't expect that. Ah—hey, no get your own soup, ya big lug," the young man laughed as his Charizard came around, sniffing at his empty bowl. Cassandra grinned as she got another one together for the Pokémon and held it out. "Thanks."

"No problem. And, yes, I didn't expect it, either, but they're sweet to each other. Couldn't ever be an actual pair, of course, but she helped keep him calm—if only by giving him the business when he got too rowdy—and he would protect her from anything. Corvi here ended up being the 'kid' they never had, and I was just glad they got a few months to bond together before I had to send Pidgeot home and keep Corvi as my flying type. Tyranitar has been a good teacher, though, and they're practically inseparable."

"Oooh, that's why they were talking to each other earlier?"

She nodded, "Yep. Corviknight always likes to make sure his 'dad' is okay. 'Dad' does the same in kind. I know, it's a crazy family dynamic."

"No, it's... sweet, actually. And nice to see such different types getting along. Shame you won't find it in the wild."

"Maybe in the right environment, but when Pokémon are wild they have to adhere to different rules to survive. Better to stick with their own or similar types, but even then competition for resources can be too much."

Leon regarded her, "Are you some kind of weird Champion Professor?"

"Huh? Oh, no, no!" she laughed. "I just... like Pokémon. And I was tired of gym battling and championships, so I went out here probably a month after I finished the Challenge, and just... observed. First the regular Wild Areas, but y'know. Same thing. I survived. Watched. Learned. Interacted. It's... liberating, I guess. It's harder, of course, but seeing Pokémon in their native habitats and surviving every day is incredible. You never know if one day you won't make it, or if you won't see a companion again. I've watched Cubchus start without any hope of making it to tomorrow, and then suddenly they're an alpha Beartic that runs the colony. You get to see them fight and grow and then evolve without any help from a trainer. Then the paradigm will shift and change and get all thrown around when a newcomer arrives. And you see the weather make or break it all, too. It's just... _wild_.

She shrugged, "Of course I do miss the comforts of home. I 'return to civilization' every so often for a few months to take a break, and I'll probably return home at some point—I'm sure my other Pokémon are about to riot—but not yet."

Leon chuckled, "You know, for all I love Pokémon, especially mine... I never thought about it that way. I just remember the Wild Area teeming with opportunity, new Pokémon and friends... and the dangers of trying to survive. Especially in the northern half. It always would test you, try to break you. Most do. Every year so many start off with such high hopes, and yet so few end it. But it's not meant to be easy. Pokémon aren't just novelties. But... even then I don't think I've looked at it like you do."

"I'm a bit weird," Cassandra snickered as she slipped her Corviknight a treat, and then made sure to give the rest some, too, as they crowded around. Boltund promptly slipped into her lap, stretching out as lazily and as in-the-way as he could. She rolled her eyes as she began to rub his belly, earning leg kicks and a few sparks off the tail—thankfully nothing harmful.

"No, I think it's great," Leon grinned back, and she hated how easily that made her blush. Few people, besides maybe researches, seemed to care. "And I'm not saying it just because you saved my life."

"Oh, _thanks_ ," she scoffed, rolling her eyes again. "Nice to know all it takes is _saving your life_ to be complimented."

"I mean, it definitely _guarantees_ I will, but someone like you wouldn't need much to be complimented," he winked in kind, earning another blush.

"Isn't the dragon or weather or whatever's—gym-leader-what's-his-face rubbing off on you?"

He laughed, "You mean _Raihan_? Oh boy he'd cry if he heard you call him all that! But... maybe? We've been having fun at the Battle Tower lately."

"Well, thank-you—for the compliment. I admit I'm not used to it. I tend to get... weird looks more."

"To be fair, you are living in a cave."

"Would you rather be cramped in a tent out in _that_?" she rejoined, shoving a thumb in the direction of the entrance.

Leon paused, "It probably would be colder."

"Yes, it would," she chuckled. "Although, I guess we'll have to get used to it unless you want to sleep out here on the floor. I stick to the tent at night."

"Huh? Oh. _Oh_. I... I guess I'll try out here tonight."

"That was sarcasm. You're not staying on the floor, and I don't mind you sharing my tent. I'd rather you be warm than try to be modest. I'm not going to take it the wrong way if that's what you're worried about."

"You going to force me then?" he smirked playfully.

"What? You're my _guest_. I'll do no such thing," she quipped back, brow rising. "But if you would rather be cold and uncomfortable, then by all means. Although, you definitely won't get to have _all_ the blankets or my sleeping bag if you do."

"Your...? Oh, right. I was lying in that wasn't I?" he hummed, then paused, recalling something. His face warmed a little, and he was glad his darker skin could hide a blush. "So, you really did get my clothes dry."

"I mean, yeah. It was that or you get hypothermia. If it helps... you're pleasant to look at?"

He practically chocked on the air, "Pretty—pretty sure that made it worse."

"Take it as a compliment?" she tried, somewhat sheepishly, but a bit more-so mischievously.

"Not sure I can share a tent now," he snickered.

"Oops? But, I mean, surely, I'm not the first person to see you half naked—besides family? Didn't you do a swimsuit cover?"

He was doubly glad blushing didn't show much, "I—that... that was... for sponsors."

"Uh-huh. Don't complain then, you had your briefs on, same thing."

"No, no it's not," Leon pouted, and then laughed along with her.

"Seriously, though, don't freak out about it. I was just trying to keep you alive, and your clothes were wet from either the snow or something else. That, and you warm up faster without them."

"True. Where'd you learn all this survival stuff? They give basic lessons to new challengers, but you're more advanced."

"Like I said, I've been out here a while and traveled a lot. I leaned from all the campers and back packers I could wherever I went... and then I learned how to adapt to here. But, really, I owe my Pokémon the most. Without them it'd be impossible."

"Y'know, I said the same thing about becoming Champion. Pokémon really are something. Heck, I owe Charizard my life, too. He's the one who..." he began, but his voice trailed, body growing tense again. Cassandra had been paying attention to her Boltund but lifted her gaze to find the pain in his golden eyes. Gently, she touched his arm, and sent him a warm smile when he looked up.

"You know, it's actually getting late, though it's hard to tell outside right now. You look tired, too, so you should try and get some more rest. Once the weather clears we can see about getting you out of here."

He managed a smile that didn't reach his eyes, "You tired of me already?"

"No, you've been a wonderful guest so far... but something tells me you need to get back—soon. Even if you don't want to."

"You're staying up?"

"For a bit longer. Arcanine will help keep the fire going during the night. Now, go take the sleeping bag and blankets to the tent and get some sleep. The storm should settle down in the morning."

Leon waited a moment before nodding. He took the sleeping bag and blankets with him to the large tent in the back, squirming in to set up bedding that would suit them both. She watched his little venture until he settled down, and then turned her attention to the Charizard, which lumbered over to the tent, sniffed for a moment, and then curled near the left side—where Leon was. He was a good Pokemon, with a fierce loyalty. It made her wonder even more what had brought these two this place? What could have forced them to run from a battle? What had pushed them to such desperation that they would risk flying through a deadly blizzard?

The thought plagued her long after Leon fell asleep, and even to when she finally called it quits herself and returned all but Arcanine to their balls to keep warm, her brave fire-type Pokémon going to keep watch. She slipped into the tent, careful so as to not wake the deeply sleeping man, and settled down. Before she managed to nod off, she happened to catch his face—once again contorted as some evil plagued him in his dreams. Like before, she reached out, this time touching his arm, and assured him he was safe. Once again, it seemed to soothe him.

Then she, too, slept, lost to her own dreamless sleep.   
  


\---------


	3. Fishing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for some fun, wholesome talks and sass to bring these two closer ;)

\----------------------------------

Cassandra blew her cup of hot chocolate gently as she stepped out into the morning light, or what little of it was getting through the clouds. The blizzard was gone at least, and any snow fall had ebbed, finally giving them some reprieve. Already Boltund and Corviknight frolicked through the snow, throwing it at one another in as close to a snowball fight as they could get. Lucario was far better in that regard, although he had opted to running about and stretching his legs. Arcanine, too, had gone off for a sprint around the area, his speed and energy levels requiring a far broader range to satisfy his needs. Tyranitar, of course, stood watch near by the entrance, keen eyes always scanning the horizon; experienced nose scenting the air. He'd always been the vigilant type, brought on by the harsh lesson that gave him the deformed X-shaped scar on his brow during his Larvitar years so long ago. Lapras, meanwhile, happily snoozed in the cave, any water source still unavailable to her right now. Hopefully they could find a thin spot in some pond or the lake further north. It was normally iced over, but not every spot was thick—they could break it open for her.

It would probably require the sun to finally show, though. The blizzard could start back up at anytime, so she made sure to have her Pokémon make the most of it. Glancing back, she noted Leon was still sleeping in the tent. She wasn't surprised. He'd been stressed and still weak from his injuries, and even now he was anxious about whatever danger he was in. Instinctively, she wanted to help. It was all she had done back home and in every region she explored, be it helping people or Pokémon. She'd managed to subdue that urge some her, keeping to just injured Pokémon, but she felt it prickling. It was part of her nature, she'd been told once. But she shouldn't—not this time. He didn't want her to help, which meant she should keep out of it. She just a random camper in the mountains. That was all.

A rumble echoed from the cave and she looked to the Charizard, which had finally stirred. He yawned, stretching some before standing up. He did so carefully, though, making sure Leon went undisturbed. The beast shivered, getting out any last shakes, and walked towards the entrance to join her. He basked in the cool air, eyes closed, and tail firmly behind to avoid any extra cold. Her Tyranitar made a grunt-sound, to which the Charizard chuffed, almost indignantly in her opinion. She imagined it was right by the way the green-colored Pokémon snorted with a shake of the head. When Cassandra looked back to the fire-type she noted he was scenting the air, wings slightly erect.

"You can go fly—it's safe right now. We'll look after Leon until your back," she explained. The Charizard turned his head her way, rumbled softly, and then stepped further out. Scenting the wind again, he stretched his wings out wide—and winced with a sharp hiss. The left wing pulled back quickly and he tried to reach back to nuzzle at it, but could not quite reach. Cassandra was beside him instantly, pausing before a touch to meet its gaze. He nodded, and she gently began to prod around until he hissed and snarled at her. Tyranitar was quick to growl back in kind, spikes and tail lifting slightly to go with a fierce glare.

Cassandra raised a hand, "Calm down. He's hurt, it's fine. Sorry, Charizard. Looks like you might have pulled a wing muscle—right where it attaches at the back based on location. You can't fly just yet. I have a few restorative items that can help, but it'll still be a few days. Sorry."

The fire Pokémon growled, though not at her. With a huff he folded his wings back down and nuzzled her gently.

She chuckled, stroking his head, "I know... Corvi was devastated when he hurt his wing, too."

"Is something wrong?"

Cassandra jumped, surprised to find Leon there, a blanket around his shoulders. His eyes were focused on his Charizard, concerned. The fire type made a light, pitiful rumble before shuffling back to him and letting his snout settle on his trainer's head.

"He's got a pulled wing muscle, right where it attaches to his back. He won't be able to fly for while still, sorry... today would have been a good one for you to leave, I think."

His golden eyes fell, "Oh. I see... Sorry, bud. Looks like I got you hurt good, huh?"

"I don't know what happened, but that definitely wasn't your fault. Not unless you pulled the wing yourself."

"No—never. I just... I could have prevented it."

"Could you? Or do you just think you could?" she quipped back, brow raised. She waved a hand before he could answer, "Whatever the case, it's all hindsight, and you'd never do anything to hurt him, so it wasn't on you. I'm willing to have Arcanine take you close to the main path if the weather is better if you have Charizard's ball on you? It'd be about a day-long trip, maybe two if the trails aren't the best."

"No, don't worry about it. I'll wait. I left his ball on my belt back at my apartment with the others. I was just out walking him for fun."

"Then... um, well... I would suggest Corvi, but he evolved less than a year ago, so he's still too small. He honestly couldn't even qualify for taxi just yet. And speaking of them... they definitely don't come out here. I'd maybe call for a rescue, but my service has been terrible. I—oh, um... sorry I'm just giving you all bad news huh?"

"No, it's just the reality of things. I can't leave Charizard behind, and... it might be better to wait a few days."

Cassandra regarded him a moment, "You don't sound sure about that."

"I'm not," he sighed, gazing out at the scenery, "but... it's still better. I'll wait until Charizard heals."

"Well, you're more than welcome. There's a container of cocoa if you want to add hot water to the mug by the fire. 'Fraid I don't drink coffee."

He managed a laugh, "What are you? A serial killer?"

"I mean... I'm probably as crazy as one for living out here," she grinned back, and she noted his smile was actually a little sincere. Cassandra watched him turn and leave to get himself a cup and sighed softly. She wished she knew more of what was ailing him, then maybe she could be of more help. But he wanted to keep her in the dark—possibly to protect her from it, or maybe it was just too personal. It was hard to say, but she would do what she could.

Shuffling through her pouch, she held out a soft cube to the fire-type, "Here, eat this. It helps ease muscular pain."

Charizard rumbled as he leaned close, sniffed the chew, and then readily snarfed it down. He looked at her expectantly.

"Just one—that's all you can have for a day. The rest will be on you—and not using your wings. I know, I know—torture. But if you want to fly sooner rather than later, you have to do it."

The fire-type grumbled and snorted, but relented.

"The cocoa's good!" Leon called, coming up beside her, blanket held a bit tighter in one hand, the cup in the other, which he blew on gently.

"I only pick the best when I go camping for a long time," she beamed, head held high. "So... any plans today?"

"Enjoying a good cup of cocoa," he grinned back. "You?"

"Well, it never hurts to go fishing for some grub when the weather is like this. Otherwise... I guess my only option is to enjoy the company of an ex-Champion... with a nice bod."

Leon choked on the sip of cocoa he'd taken, precisely as she said the final words. It certainly wasn't timed. She certainly hadn't been watching, waiting, and it certainly wasn't worth it. Not one bit. She certainly wasn't grinning either.

"Alright, guess I'm not enjoying a good cup of cocoa."

"I couldn't resist."

"You're going to do that the entire time I'm here, aren't you?" he mused, brow raised.

She shrugged, "Only if you don't mind it too much. If it really does bug you, I'll stop."

"I mean," he replied—sheepishly, she dared to think, "It's not that bad. Just unexpected."

"Really?" she guffawed. "You've never had fans say that or like it to you?"

He squinted, "Not to... my face? Maybe on Pokégram? I think Raihan said they did when he tried to convince me to take more selfies shirtless?"

"He had good intuition."

"Oh did he now? Well, I'm sorry to say I won't be complying any time soon. It's a tad freezing."

"Shame," she smirked, and then laughed. "Really, though, I am teasing. I promise you're not trapped with some sexual deviant."

"Mmm I feel so safe now."

"Oh, hush, I assure you, I am a woman of virtue. Besides... my Arcanine is far more handsome than you are," she grinned, to which Leon balked in mock-insult.

He flicked his hair with his hand, "Excuse you, my mane is far superior."

"If you say so. Ah, there's my handsome boy now," Cassandra grinned, spotting her fire-type Pokémon dashing at incredibly speed over the ridge, snow spewing up behind him. She quickly downed the rest of her cup as she made for the fire. "Guess I'll head out then. You're welcome to ride with me—Arc can easily carry us both... but you'll want to bring the blanket since I haven't found a coat for you yet."

"If you're sure, I think I'd like that. I feel good enough to be jostled around."

"Just tell me when it gets too cold for you, and we'll head back. Arcanine can keep you warm to an extent, and it's not too far to the pond, but..."

"Don't worry, I'll let you know. Thanks."

"It's nothing. Besides, it'll be nice to have company—that talks," she chuckled, as she came up by him, slipping on her thicker coat. Arcanine woofed softly at her and then to Tyranitar, who made a point to jab a claw at the Pokémon's snow-dusted paws, then the mess on the floor, and growled and grumbled at his companion. Arcanine snorted, but stepped back outside to lie down, waiting for them. Cassandra chuckled as she grasped hold of his tanned mane and slipped on, then motioned for Leon to do the same.

"Stay here and be good, alright, big guy?" he told his Charizard, whom rumbled unhappily, but nodded. The young man hefted himself up behind Cassandra, and once settled, the Arcanine stood up smoothly. Even so, Leon couldn't stop his instinct to grab the redhead, whom used her Pokémon's mane for balance instead.

"Ah, yeah, sorry, hold on tight. Use me for a windshield if you need to," Cassandra chuckled, then looked to Tyranitar. "Man the fort."

The monstrous Pokémon grunted, chest high and proud. He took his job seriously, after all. Sparing him a grin, she urged Arcanine onward, and they took off—fast. He was slower with two passengers, but her Pokémon still quickly covered the span to the nearest pond in leaps and snow-filled bounds. Leon held her tight, hopefully enjoying the ride, but being mindful to not fall off. It was a bit strange having a passenger behind her, but, truthfully, it wasn't that bad. It had been a while since she'd been hugged by anything besides her Pokemon, and she'd almost forgotten how nice it was.

She had to chuckle to herself. It really had been too long if she was thinking such silly things. 

Luckily, Arcanine pulled to a stop not long after, and she slipped off to inspect the sides of the pond. It wasn't the biggest one around, but she didn't want to tango with any unruly water-types who heard her chopping at the ice to make a hole. There were thankfully only Arrokudas, Corphish, Goldeen, Basculin, and a few others at the worst, but they were either not tasty or poisonous to eat.

"Alight, I'm going to fish around here. I have an extra line if you want to go at it, or you can just sit with Arcanine and me to stay warm."

Leon hummed, coming closer, "I think I'll fish. Then I can feel like I'm contributing more than a pretty face."

"Oh, man, that's such a rough role to fill! I couldn't possibly ask more of you," she smirked back as she leaned down and pulled out an ice pick.

"No, no, a pretty face may be tough, but it hardly compares. I'll fish," he chuckled in kind. "I can set up the poles while you pick?"

"Hmm? Oh, sure, here—they're the folded kind so they fit in my bag. Here's the wire, too; make sure to put on the brown bait—the others attract the ones we don't want."

"Roger that," he nodded, taking the items and stood back while Cassandra slammed her pick down at the ice. It cracked, but didn't break, so she kept at it. Arcanine laid down beside them finally, and Leon took the moment to lean against the warm, soft fur. The Pokémon smirked his way, a gentle rumble going through its body. Its lower half shifted to allow the tail to come closer, and the young man already felt even warmer. He grinned back as he worked, setting the rods in place and wiring them as he remembered how to do. Oh, it'd been some years since he last fished, but the method was easy enough. Really, Cassandra had the hardest job, but she was doing good work. He wasn't surprised, though. If there was anything he'd learn from the short time they'd been together, it was that she was an experienced woman.

And to think she was only about his age. He hadn't missed the Johto-styled trainer card set into the case above her badges. She was twenty-four—just a year younger, and yet she had done so much more. Even he hadn't been this good at surviving in the Wild Area, and he'd only experienced the start of winter in his journey. Then he'd gone and won the Championship the same year he started, and just hadn't stopped winning. He had no time to go adventuring. He had to uphold his image constantly, and meet both his sponsors and the crowd's demands, which meant facing challengers every year on top of commercials, events, constant travel around Galar, and more.

Frankly, he couldn't recall the last time he'd had a chance to do anything but be the Champion. Even now he busied himself with the Battle Tower, which, truthfully, wasn't as demanding. His desperate flight through the blizzard had been one of his few times coming back to some kind of wild area.

Sadly, Leon knew he couldn't stay long—only until Charizard was healed. He had to head back, regardless of what awaited him, which was nothing good. He'd been a damned fool before, but at least now he could be better prepared. Still, he almost didn't want to leave. It might have only been a day or so, and he'd almost died to boot, but it was the first time in an age he hadn't had a single camera or microphone or Rotom aimed his way; no questions about his victories or his dethroning, or what his plans were; no one expecting anything of him expect to feel better. Cassandra didn't care about any of it, and why would she? She was a multi-Champion in her own right, and all she wanted was to be with her team and live free like this.

He envied her.

Leon also trusted her, as crazy as that was, but she had saved his life without any true obligation. It was hard not to put his faith in her. It made him wish he could tell her everything that had happened. He was certain she would help, especially if it was as bad as he thought, but there was still too much he didn't know. He couldn't drag her into it, although he had a feeling she could handle it and possibly even be a strong ally. But this wasn't her home; not her region; not her people. It wasn't her responsibility. It was his, as both former Champion and a Galar Pokémon trainer—and as a friend and older brother.

Cassandra was someone he needed to protect from the trouble—especially when it had way too great of potential to spread beyond his home.

So. It was best he didn't get in too deep, no matter how hard it was when her quips were as cheeky as his could be, and she was as heroic as he tried to be. Or that's how he felt, considering she'd taken him in as a stranger and everything she did was, in some way, to ensure his comfort or safety.

He envied that about her, too. 

"Hey! We're good to go, got the rods ready?" her voice cut through his thoughts, jerking him slightly.

"Yeah, of course, who do you think I am?"

"Just another pretty face?"

He scoffed, "I assure you, I am not just another pretty face. Here, your rod, m'lady."

"Such a gentleman. And Arc, you keep doing your thing and keep us warm, will you?" she called out, and the fire-type yipped confidently as she came to lie against him next to Leon, who was kind enough to open the blanket so it could be around both of them. Her Pokémon, meanwhile, lowered his head so his snout covered her feet and his mane pushed into her torso. Immediately she felt a good deal warmer. "If you stay cold ask him to use his breath on you—he knows what it means."

"Uh, what does it mean?" he inquired, brow quirked as he cast a line into the open space of the pond's ice.

"You know Fire Fang? Well, it's like that, only he just lets his mouth heat up and blows out the heat, but doesn't bite. It was not easy to figure out, let me tell you, but there's places in Sinnoh that are even colder than here, and it did wonders."

"Huh, never would have thought of that. Should try and teach Charizard—his tail is a bit too hazardous."

"Oof. I bet. So... I take it you two have been together since forever, too?"

Leon hummed, "Just about. I found him when I was just a kid and we've been together since then, fighting side by side. Can honestly say it's thanks to him I became Champion."

"Sounds like a classic tale! Hmm... you were... ten then, right?" Cassandra asked, and he nodded more or less. "'Lesse, I was... I think I was still hanging out at home? I'm pretty sure I only left when I turned thirteen because I was asked to go deliver something for Professor Elm."

"What made you go on your journey for real?"

"Well, I caught a Pidgey while I was delivering the letter—Pidgeot now, of course. And then... well, he wasn't back then, but my good friend Silver stole a Pokémon from the Professor, so Arcanine and I... er, sorry he was a Growlithe then, but we went after him, and managed to beat him in battle. It was just... so... invigorating, you know? Winning a battle, catching Pokemon. We decided not to stop, and, well, here we are."

"I feel you..." the young man chuckled, pausing to consider something. "So... did this... criminal friend of yours give the Pokémon back?"

"Actually, no!" she laughed, grinning at his confusion. "Turns out the Tododile he took got attached even after just a few hours, and I couldn't bring myself to force him to give it up. So, I let them get away, told the police he ran off before I could stop him, and then he joined the gym challenge, too. He became my first rival, and ultimately, he started to change as he gained more Pokémon. Or, well, okay, it took a punch to his face before the Elite Four before he totally figured out he was being an idiot the whole time and really changed, but he was getting there."

Leon balked, "You punched your friend??"

"He wasn't my friend yet, okay? We were... rivals. Not necessarily on the best terms, but we respected each other's abilities, but... he just still didn't get how his Pokémon adored him even if he was a bit pushy. Deep down, though, he just wanted them to be strong—in part because he needed to be stronger, and they understood. But he pushed them too far that fight, so I punched him in the face and gave him a harsh talking to. All the while, his Pokémon were trying to protect him and stand up for him. He figured it out then.

She smiled warmly, "So, like I said, he finally changed. He started showing his Pokémon a different kind of care, and last I saw he was smiling waaaay more than he had before. He's got a good, strong team, too, that was able to beat the Elite Four not long after."

"Sounds like a fun guy."

"Oh yeah, now that he's not so grumpy and always scowling," she snickered. "These days, though, he's busy running his father's organization. He ended up taking it over and turning it all around after it collapsed, and now they act as a rescue organization."

"What's it called?"

"Team Rescue, as dorky as that is. He wanted to keep close to the original but still changed."

Leon frowned, brows scrunched, "What was the original?"

Her grin went shit-eating, "Team Rocket."

Had he been drinking, the young man would have spat out his brew—again. Despite Galar being practically a world away, even they had heard about what Team Rocket did a decade ago in both Kanto and Johto! They had been one of the most villainous organizations out there, and it was only thanks to the efforts of a few trainers that they were defeated and driven underground. He'd heard arrests were made some years ago, but not much else. Galar was too far away to be that involved with their news, and back then it didn't get as wide-spread anyways.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. He had to go through a lot of shit to make the change. He even had to fight a good chunk of old members, but he and his Pokémon took hold and once he proved his strength things took a turn for the better. And, unlike his father, Silver works to protect Pokémon, not use them as tools. And, of course, he never gives me credit for putting him on the right path."

Leon laughed, "I mean, I'm not sure 'my rival-friend punched me in the face and knocked sense into me, literally!' is an answer that inspires."

"No, probably not. That and I may have also asked he not mention me in interviews, too, sooo," she shrugged.

"Huh, you really don't like the lime-light do you?"

"I just don't want all the attention or to be kept from doing as I please and journeying where I will. If I was always tied down, I'd have never gotten here and found my new Pokémon friends."

"Or been here to save my stupid ass," the young man chuckled, earning a glance from the young woman beside him.

"Good thing I was then, huh? I'm pretty sure my mom would call it 'fate'."

"I can believe it. I didn't use to, but... ever since Hop and Gloria first entered the Slumbering Weald I can't help but think it's true."

"That's.... where they first met those legendary Pokémon, right? The ones they fought with to finally stop that crazy Pokémon?"

"Eternatus. Yeah, I did what I could... but it was thanks to them working with Zacian and Zamazenta that Gloria and Hop managed to beat it. I think it was fate they both went after the Wooloo into the forest and met them that day."

"Crazy... what happened to the Pokémon, though? No one seemed to know on the news."

"You watch that?"

She rolled her eyes, "When I'm in town, yes. I'm not a savage."

"Says the one living in a cave," he snickered before sobering up. "After the battle the Pokémon returned home and Hop and his friend returned the items that summoned them to a safe place. No one has seen them since."

"Well, good. I'd hate to see them fall into the wrong hands."

"Yeah, no kidding. Hop's back home to protect them, though—making sure no one goes into the forest, although the fog can keep them out if he can't."

She glanced at him, "Your brother sounds pretty awesome. What did he do after the Challenge? Is he going to go for Champion again?"

"Actually, no!" Leon chuckled. "It took him a while, but... he realized he preferred helping and learning about Pokémon over winning. Losing to his rival—Gloria, actually—really humbled him, and, it took a while, but he decided he wanted to be a Professor. He's working with Sonia as one of her assistants now."

"That's great!" Cassandra grinned. "My cousin is working for Elm, too. It's a great profession. And he's a good, strong trainer, which means he already understands Pokémon."

"Oh, for sure. Even though he didn't win, he's still the big talk of the town. I'm hoping he'll try the Battle Tower still, though—I'd love to face him proper."

"So eager to lose agai—oh a bite!" she grinned, and quickly stood to reel in her prize. It was a tough one, but, finally, she pulled out an Arrokuda. She lifted it close to Arcanine, who chomped down hard—it stopped wriggling. Leon watched, a slight frown on his face. Cassandra didn't miss it when she set the fish Pokémon beside them. "You never fished to eat them before?"

"Not... for a long time. I forgot how it feels."

"Yeah, it's... weird. Kind of a paradox. Especially when some people use them to battle. But we eat them, as do our Pokémon. I do try and catch the non-battle fish, but they're not plentiful here up north."

"Don't worry, I don't blame you or think bad or anything, I've just been pampered," Leon chuckled, shaking his head.

"Well, best toughen up, Sobble. The Wilds like to eat pampered little boys."

He smirked back, "Thank Arceus I'm a grown man then."

"Yes, I know," she winked in kind, and couldn't stop laughing when palpable embarrassment appeared.

"I swear I'm going to pay you back for that one."

"Shall I strip now or...?"

"Oh my Arceus, you're worse than Nessa."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Now, get to work, bud, your line is tugging."

Leon jumped up, his face still burning hot, but, ultimately, he didn't mind. No, rather, he had to say he quite enjoyed the teases.

If only it could last. 

\------------------------------

**TMWolf:** _there's your taste of sass. More to come ;) also, to clarify, the events of gold/silver/crystal took place about a decade ago and Team Rescue is very much so AU for reasons lol_

_Also, Cassandra basically takes the place of the player in the second gen games (and a few others, but I'll get to that), and, yes, she punched your rival Silver lmao He deserved it_


	4. Talks

The hours of fishing passed faster than either of them expected, turning daylight into evening with the time taken up by reeling in enough fish to keep full for days, and endless talk of anything and everything that came to mind. Jokes and laughs filled the in-between and Leon was proud when he finally got her to fluster at a tease of his own. He was determined to do so again, if only to match her wins against him. Most of all, though, he just enjoyed sharing the laughs. He hadn't done so much in so long, even when he was home. At least, not like this; not so openly. In truth, he probably shouldn't be candid with a stranger he barely knew, yet she didn't hold back, and neither did he—expect for the one secret he kept close; the one to keep her safe.

If she had caught on, she didn't seem to mind, and for that he was grateful. Perhaps it was because she understood the burden of it, although that was probably a good reason to tell her, but he couldn't. He wouldn't. How could he call himself even a former Champion if he had to rely on someone from a foreign land to deal with their problems here? So he kept it to himself, and was glad when they rode back—there was no more time to let something slip, and their return kept them busy as she worked to prep the fish and have her Lapras seal them with an ice beam in the back of the cave. With that done, though, there was only time to sit around the fire once more, or at least he did. Cassandra busied herself with rummaging through the tent, until, at last, she let out an "eureka".

"Here, try this on," she smirked proudly, holding out a rather large, bulky jacket. He was skeptical, but it actually fit, albeit a little too snugly. It was warmer than just the blanket, though, and he relished in the comfort of it. She sat, quite happy with herself, "I thought I had that in there buried somewhere. I don't have the pants to go with, but at least your torso is warm?"

He chuckled, "I'll survive. Why do you even have one this big—it must be huge on you."

"I 'borrowed' it from my uncle and forgot to give it back. He hasn't seemed to notice... for five years," she shrugged, earning a laugh.

"Well, send him my thanks next you see him."

She snickered, "Might be a while."

"You're staying here?"

"Maybe? To be honest, I'm not sure what my plans are beyond this. Or, well, I'll be heading back to Hammerlocke at some point soon for resupply since it's closest, but..."

"You don't want to go home?"

"I mean—no, that's not exactly it or..." she began, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. He could see she struggled with the answer. "I'm just... not ready to go back yet, I guess? Still have a lot to see and do."

The answer sounded half-true—if only because he was used to giving those kinds of answers all the time. He decided not to pry.

Instead, he grinned, "Any other regions you want to conquer?"

"Kalos, probably. I haven't checked out any others much," she shrugged, then waved. "Anyways, what about you? You're running the Battle Tower, right? What do you want it to end up being?"

"Well, it's about what I wanted it to be now. My dream when I was Champion hasn't really changed, just my method to make it happen, I guess you could say. I do want to see everyone in Galar become strong trainers and people in general; I want to see them overcome every obstacle, and form deep bonds with their Pokémon. Battling has always been one of the best ways, and, well, I've been battling my whole life so I don't know how to do much else. Not that it's helped much lately."

"How so?" she frowned.

"Ah, it's... y'know," he started, rubbing his own neck now. Like him, she sensed the struggle.

"It's fine if you don't want to—."

He waved, "No, it's fine. I'm more... embarrassed. Or disappointed, I don't know. I just.. ever since the fight with Eternatus and then losing to Gloria right after... things just haven't felt the same. I don't feel as strong as I used to."

"Isn't that normal, though?" she mused, but he only shrugged. "You grew up unbeatable. If I were you, I'd feel pretty weird and definitely crummy for losing like that, especially to someone so much younger."

"Maybe, but it's just... The fight with Eternatus... I should have... But I... And... the Chairman...," he sighed, running both hands over his face and through his hair. "He betrayed me—the people. All of us. And I didn't notice. I was too caught up in the Challenge. I let him get away with something terrible, and then I couldn't even fix my mistake. I had to rely on my brother and his friend—just kids!"

Leon didn't know why he was saying it or even anything about it. It was stupid, complaining like he was. The region had been saved and Gloria was just a better trainer, as much as his pride hated to admit it. She was a good kid, and had worked hard to become not only the Hero of Galar, but it's new Champion. She belonged in that role. He was far past his time.

"You blame yourself because even though you did everything you could... it wasn't enough."

The young man's head shot up, golden eyes wide. Cassandra wasn't looking at him; she couldn't bring herself to. Instead, she focused on the fire, and let him think what he would.

"You...," he started, uncertainty lingering in his voice.

She did look at over at him then and reached over to place her hand on the one he braced on the floor.

She smiled gently, "Yeah, I understand."

Leon felt his chest tighten as his heart raced. A chill ran through him, though not for the cold. It was a silly thing to feel over such simple words, and yet—they weren't so simple were they? Was he really that pitiful, though? To be moved so strongly by such a thing; by empathy? Surely, that what it was, and he could hardly fathom how she could feel the same, and yet, he supposed, of all people, she might.

Cassandea had traveled so many regions and seen so much, and she had things she couldn't bring herself to say, too, didn't she? She probably knew failure, the kind that ate you and drove you mad. It was selfish of him, but he was glad. Gloria he couldn't possibly say anything to. He couldn't tell Hop about it, either—he didn't dare let his brother fret—and Sonia was too busy with her own life and worried about him enough as it was. His mother, of course, he'd never tell even if it killed him, and that left, well, no one really. He could only do whatever he could think to do to make up for his mistake, and he supposed the Battle Tower was part of that. Along with making other trainers stronger, it was a way to improve himself, too. After all, he was no longer undefeated and he'd yet to beat Gloria there either.

"What... did you do for it?"

"Everything you shouldn't," she chuckled, hand pulling back and her hazel eyes falling. His gut urged him to pry—to help her as she had him, but he didn't. He had no right. That, or maybe he was just too stubborn or too scared to know the answer, he couldn't say.

She sighed, "Anyways, looks like the fish soup is ready, so let's eat, and then we can either talk or get some more sleep."

"Probably sleep. I still feel tired easily," he chuckled, glad for the change in topic.

"You're still regaining your strength. So go on and eat and rest."

"Staying up late again?"

She grinned, winking "To clean up. Don't worry, though, I'll be there to cuddle with you soon."

Leon snickered, managing not to blush this time. He was steadily getting better at enduring her teases, which were quite useful in easing the tension. He'd had to get her back later somehow. Who knew pretending to flirt could be so fun? No wonder Raihan played it up with his fans.

"Can't resist my charms?"

"What can I say? Not every day a girl gets to sleep with a guy with a hot bod."

"You think I'm hot?" he smirked, and it grew to shit-eating levels when she realized her slip and blushed with a pout.

"Careful, or you're sleeping by the fire buster."

"Hard to cuddle me out here."

She lifted her head haughtily, "I've survived this long."

"Now you're being stubborn," he pouted.

"Now you're being presumptuous."

He grinned, "Now you're just teasing me."

"And now you are acting like Raihan," she quipped, jabbing a finger

"Hey, now! I am far better than Raihan. And he's not actually that much of a flirt. Kind of."

"You sure about that?"

"...Okay he can be a flirt when he's not focusing on the Gym Challenge. I'll give you that."

"Uh-huh. Well, do me a favor and stay Leon—I like him better."

He smirked again, "So you like me, huh?"

Again, she blushed, but this time threw her pack at him. He only laughed, handing it back to her. She took it with a huff.

"Yeah, you're taking after him alright."

He raised a brow, "Wait, how do you know—Oh no. Don't tell me he flirted with you?"

"Thankfully, no. Rather, there's blogs all about it that come up when you search for him trying to do research on how you want to set up your team. His fangirls are practically stalkers."

"I'm... I'm not even surprised," Leon chuckled, shaking his head.

"Anyways, eat your food you cheeky, bastard, and get some sleep. I'll be in there later," she scoffed, taking up her bowl of food. She glanced to her right, and noted her Pokémon were staring. Arcanine was even smirking of all things, and if Lucario were human, she bet he'd be raising a brow. Honestly, what was with everyone being so cheeky? Okay, yes, she'd made some cheeky comments herself, but did her Pokémon have to be giving her looks, too?

She hissed a soft "shut up" to all of them and managed to enjoy a decent—and quiet—meal. Leon bid her goodnight then, his exhaustion beginning to visibly show. He'd probably be better by tomorrow, but today he retired to the tent, where Charizard once again curled close on the outside. Cassandra let out a sigh of relief then, and mentally shook herself for behaving like such a schoolgirl! Honestly, what was she thinking, throwing those flirty jabs his way? She didn't even really mean them, or she didn't mean to mean them, but then he'd throw them back and, and it was fun.

Arceus help her, she'd been away from people too long. One quick-witted guy and her heart was racing and her face was on fire. She needed to face reality, though. He was going to be leaving as soon as Charizard was ready, which would be in a matter of days, and that was that. They probably wouldn't see each other again. He was a former Champion and Battle Tower owner. She was a multi-regional Champion living like a hermit because she didn't want to deal with her problems. She needed to stop being so comfortable, but it was hard. She could see him hurting underneath it all, and it made her want to help him even more.

That, and, well, she did like him. As a friend, of course. Or she hoped as a friend. She wouldn't mind a friend, but even then she needed to be careful. Attachments only led to hurt, and all she really needed was her Pokémon. Friends only brought back painful memories.

Sighing with groan, Cassandra finished her food, cleaned up the camp site, sat down to work on some of her research notes for an hour or so longer, then bid her Pokémon goodnight, and finally retired to bed. She spared Leon one last glance, glad to see him resting better, and endured her own night of restless sleep, plagued by fleeting images of warm smiles and red stains.

\---------------------

Leon woke briefly, noting the cave had grown darker, although the fire was still lit. The growling-snores of Pokemon reached his ears, one of which was his Charizard's. He had woken on his back and turned his head to where Cassandra lay, her back to him. He should have felt strange with a woman sleeping next to him in the same tent—in some ways, he did—but he found it eased him instead. To an extent. It was probably just his selfishness, though; the need for someone to understand, which she did. She knew the guilt that ate him like a poison that he didn't know how to heal.

He thought to ask Cassandra, but in the end he knew he was too cowardly to do so-not when she seemed to be burdened by her own problems. Like him, she faked a lot of her smiles. They never quite reached the eyes except moments like when she was flustered. Those were genuine, he knew, just as his were. He should have pressed her about her; to try and help her, but he didn't, and he assumed her too polite to not do the same to him. It made them quite the pair, but, at the very least, he was glad she understood.

He was also glad he'd met her, if only because of the empathy. It was pathetic, he knew, but he let it ease his mind that night, and to take a greater joy in her presence and her Pokémon who were as loyal as his Charizard was to him. They all loved her so fiercely. It made him want to battle her, funnily enough, to see the care she'd put into her Pokémon, but he would save that for a time they were all safe; a time after he finally returned home and stopped the ones who attacked him. Then, he would come back here and see not only what she had to offer as a trainer, but perhaps as a friend.

He wanted to think of her as one, anyways, even if it had only been a few days.

For now, though, he settled for showing her as much of who he was as a person and prayed both that Charizard would take his time healing... and that his enemies would not come for him.

In both, his prayers would ultimately be unanswered, but he could never know what was to come as he closed his eyes and slumbered once more.

\------------------------------

_The next morning..._

Cassandra didn't recall having a body pillow in her tent, but it was comfortably warm and made her want to go right back to sleep. Then she remembered she definitely didn't have a body pillow and opened her eyes.

She was holding Leon.

He was the body pillow.

And he was awake.

Needlessly to say, her face was on fire as she stared, wide-eyed at him. His golden irises stared back, and he had the most shit-eating grin on his face that she had ever seen before. She let go immediately, sitting up, and he just laughed of all things.

"Oh my Arceus—I'm so sorry, I didn't—."

"Don't worry, I won't hold it against you. It was pretty funny, actually," he snickered, sitting up himself. "My brother used to do it when we shared a room, although he was a bit clingier."

"Still, wow, I think I might go throw myself off the mountain now."

He laughed, "Please, don't."

"Then do me a favor and forget that happened," she groaned, busying herself with finding some clothes to wear. "How are you feeling, by the way?"

"Besides felt up?" he smirked and she shot him glare. Snickering, he continued, "Better. A lot better. Could handle a proper workout I think."

"Sadly, I don't have a weight rack here, but you could aways go for a walk—the snow will make it a workout, trust me. But, I'm glad you feel better. Because now you need to get out," she chuckled, earning a look. She held up her clothes. "I need to change."

"Oh! Right. Do you want me to let your Pokemon out?"

"What? No? I don't put them into their balls?"

He frowned, brows scrunched, "Isn't it too cold? I'm sure Charizard wishes he were back in his during the night."

"Well, the fire is always going 'cause one of them keeps watch, but to be honest they're all probably cuddled around Arcanine—or he might have around Charizard. They like it better than being cooped up."

"...Really?" he inquired, incredulous.

She grinned, "Yep. Go have a peek. 'Cause I still need to change."

"What? I don't get a peek, too?" he smirked.

"Oh my Arceus, get out, you weirdo. I don't need your flirting this early," she scoffed, slapping him with her thermal shirt. He laughed as he lifted an arm to defend himself.

"Who says it's flirting?"

She rolled her eyes, her tone sarcastic, "Leon, we're both mature adults. Well, I am, but I think we're more than capable of exchanging playful flirtations to lighten the mood and not make a big deal out of it."

"Fair enough, but I'll have you know I am a fully mature adult. I just choose not to be," he winked, chuckling as he finally unzipped the tent and slipped out. He made sure to bring his coat with him, and looked to where he knew Charizard had been resting, and couldn't stop his laugh. Cassandra had been right: they'd formed a pile of Pokémon lying together by the tent. Arcanine was in the middle of sorts, essentially being used a radiator. Even Charizard had taken up a spot, his tail being used for warmth, too. It was a sight to see, though, with the Corviknight and Boltund lying on Arcanine's stomach, the larger beast rolled on its back. Lapras had her face nestled in its mane, and Lucario had the tail. Only Tyranitar was missing, keeping watch at the entrance.

Leon had a feeling the Pokémon's pride would never let him cuddle the Arcanine, even if it killed him.

What a strange crew they were.

"Well, you were right," he hummed as Cassandra finally left the tent, wearing a different colored long sleeve from yesterday, but the same thicker jacket. She'd put on her hat and goggles, too, and a different pack from the usual one. "You heading out?"

"Yeah, looks like the weather is clear out and my pokegear says it should stay this way for a while. And, y'know, when I'm not rescuing wayward former Champions, I do work in these mountains. I don't stay just for fun you know."

"You camp out here... for fun."

"Well, maybe not fun, but it's a good way to get away, and research Pokémon in environments people rarely get to," she shrugged, and then quickly whistled. The pile of Pokémon jolted up, torn from their comfortable sleep, but quickly began to move to her side, save Larpas who only yawned and lounged lazily, her body difficult to move on land. Charizard was a bit lazy to rise himself, yawning and scratching his belly, but then lumbered over to rest his head on Leon's.

His trainer reached up to rub his Pokémon's head, "What do you do exactly? Since you're not a professor—are you sure about that by the way?"

"Very sure. I only started doing it when I began camping out here or in the Wild Area. I was sketching Pokémon when I noticed the little nuances. I wrote them down, and I don't remember exactly how, but I had gotten into contact with Professor Magnolia. I think I was asking about a particular evolution of Zigzagoon and it's differences with Hoenn, and she was surprised when I mentioned some unusual behavior I noticed," the redhead hummed, all while giving attention to each of her Pokémon. Treats were soon to follow. "From there I just kinda... kept in contact, exchanging information which she would share . Then the academic part of the League decided they would pay me, and so I kept doing it. Eventually I went up here after hearing it was rarely explored.

She moved to the fire to begin prepping breakfast, and continued, "All the Pokémon are known, but they behave a bit different due to the more difficult environment. I was asked to try and see what I could find, and it's been going well-ish so far."

"Well-ish?"

"The wild Pokémon here are a lot more aggressive than on the main path where they're more accustomed to humans and have more resources."

"But your Pokémon can handle it—like Tyranitar, right?" he mused, and she nodded.

"Yep, you remembered. Anyways, it won't take long. I'm just going down to the valley today to watch the Darumaka and Darmanitan. They're ice-types here, but in Unova they're fire, so there's quite a lot of interest in how the variation might have happened, and also the differences in behavior."

"Wait—really? There's Darumaka in other regions?" he inquired, eyes wide with curiosity.

She chuckled, "Yep! You know Vulpix? Apparently there's an ice-type in another region somewhere, too. I forgot exactly where, but the Darumaka aren't the first instance of opposite type changes. The Zigzagoon was the other, being dark types... and Hoennian versions don't have a third evolution, it stops at Linoone."

"Your work is actually pretty interesting. Although, I'm surprised a Champion is doing it."

"It's... something to keep busy, I guess, and it is interesting. Even Pokémon of the same species that look the same have subtle differences. Like Arcanine. Ones here in Galar tend to have lighter fur."

"Do they have blue eyes in Johto, too?" he asked, pointing to her Pokémon, who blinked said eyes at him.

"Actually, no—I think it was a genetic mutation. It's just aesthetic, though. He's not any stronger than any other Arcanine of the same experience level. Maybe more lovable, but I'm probably biased," she winked, rubbing her Pokémon's ear and giving him a kiss on the brow. She received an affectionate lick in return.

"What about Charizard?" Leon grinned, tugging his lizard's head down to rest on his shoulder.

She hummed thoughtfully, though waited to pass out breakfast before she answered, "I think so. Or, well, I'm going based off what I'm seeing right now. Your Charizard is at least ten years, right?"

"Yep. At least ten."

"Well, they're not exactly common in Johto or Kanto either, except at Charicific Valley. I only got to visit a few days, but the Charizards there are definitely bigger. I don't know how much older they were than yours, though, but they certainly had more size. Their firepower was intense, too, but I think your Charizard is faster. Oh, and lighter colored. If I'd say anything... your Charizard is better suited to close, fast combat, while those from Johto are better in overpowering with special attacks. That, and you can make yours gigantic. No Johto Charizards can or at least haven't ever done that. No Pokémon has there actually, or anywhere outside Galar, really."

He laughed, "You mean Gigantamax? Wait, don't tell me—you've never done it? Or at least Dynamax"

"I don't even know how you do it."

"Huh... yeah I guess you'd need a band anyways and those aren't just on the market," he mused, rubbing his chin. She noted his stubble had begun to show on the rest of his jawline, and quickly stifled any silent mention that it made him look better in her opinion. Instead, she focused on finishing her meal quickly.

"Alright, well, I'll be heading out with... Arcanine and... Lucario today. Tyranitar, you hold the fort with Leon here," she listed out, earning affirmative sounds all around.

Leon stood up, "Actually, I'll come with. I'd like to see what you do in person."

"Uh, I mean, it's kinda boring to most people. You'll be sitting in snow like with fishing, too, and as I recall you kept mentioning your bum was freezing?" she mused, brow raised.

"I'll be fine—I just need an extra blanket. Besides, I'll go to go stir crazy if I stay in here. Is it close enough Charizard could come along?"

"Hmm... technically he could walk, but coming back up the slope would be rough..."

Charizard groaned, looking away in a sulk. Leon just smiled and pet him gently, promising maybe another time when his wing was better. Cassandra regarded the young man, hands folded across her chest. He just gave her a confident look back.

"You really want to come with me?"

"Yeah! I'd like to learn more about the Pokémon. I thought I knew enough from just battling them and their trainers, but obviously not."

She sighed, "Alright, alright. You're going to be too stubborn to not follow me, anyways, and I'm guessing you'll somehow manage to get lost even when it's just down the way."

"Normally, I'd protest that, but... seeing as how it works in my favor...," he grinned impishly and retreated to the tent to grab two blankets.

She snorted, "Well, now maybe I shouldn't take you."

"Yeah, but you will. You're too nice to say no to this pretty face. And I do want to learn more."

"...Ugh, you are insufferable. Alright, well, come on then. Lucario, in you go. Arc, let's get out and get going. But if Leon here gets obnoxious, just knock him off."

"Wha—hey! And here I thought you were nice!"

She lifted her head haughtily, "Ha! You think you actually know me? I assure you, dear sir, I am an enigma. As are all women. Men only wished they could know their heart and mind.

Cassandra paused to turn a skeptical eye on him, "Or are you one of those guys that only ever thinks of Pokemon and nothing else?"

"...Maybe," he mumbled back, but grinned when she shook her head with the roll of the eyes.

"Of course. I'm sure all your lady fans have been devastated."

"Probably. Haven't exactly had time," he snickered as he followed her out with her Arcanine. She turned back to wish the rest of her Pokemon goodbye and to be good, Charizard included. The lizard snorted.

"Yeah, I guess I can see that. The media's never mentioned you had a girlfriend, and if they assume every woman Raihan hugs is his girl, they'd go nuts if you had one."

"You checked to see if I had a girlfriend?" he smirked, and she couldn't help her embarrassed blush as she balked at him.

"I—what, no! I just... never remember anything about it whenever I read or listened to the news in town. Good grief. Just get on," she grumbled, hopping onto Arcanine's back. Leon followed in suit, settling behind her and hands on the side of her waist.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself."

"Uh-huh. Well, like I said, I guess I get it. Even back home being a Champion is work," she mused, nudging Arcanine into a trot down the slope.

"Oh yeah? No time for boyfriends then?"

"Well, not for lack of trying—not that it's any of your business," she quipped.

He laughed, "Hey now, I answered about me. It's only fair."

"Ah aha ah, a ladies' business is her business and hers alone. Not even you are privy to it unless she allows."

"Well, then I am honored to be given such privilege."

"Okay, now I'm sure Raihan's been rubbing off on you," she scoffed, and he laughed again.

They came to a ledge overseeing the continuation of the slope further down, and a devious glint came in her eyes. She nudged Arcanine just slightly, gesturing with her head enough so he would see. A foolish grin came over his furry mug, and he backed up to where he could get a running start. Before Leon could ask, her Pokemon darted forward and leaped right over the edge. He let out a curse and clamped his arms tight around her as they fell—and landed on a firm surface of snow. The jump had been nothing for Arcanine, though, who kicked off again and into a light jog on the more gradually decline they'd come to. All the while, Cassandra laughed.

"Okay, that wasn't fair," her companion huffed, still clinging tight.

"I couldn't resist—you've been far too sassy lately," she smirked.

"Hey! You started it. I've just been dishing it back."

"Is that pouting I hear? Tsk tsk. Who knew Galar's former Champion was such a big baby deep down?"

"And who knew Johto's Champion was such a mean trickster. Honestly, I should complain. I feel so harrassed!"

"Pfft, go ahead. I'd say my connections to Lance are more than enough to clear my name."

He sounded surprised, "You know him that well?"

"I've been working for the League pretty much since I first became Champion. I kind of helped stop Team Rocket, so I proved pretty useful."

"Wait, wait, wait—you stopped Team Rocket?"

"Kinda. It was really some kid called Red about three years before I took the Gym Challenge who brought them down in Kanto, but they tried to start up again in Johto, even took a radio station hostage. They'd been doing things before that, like killing Slowpoke for their tails—fuck them for that, so glad I kicked their asses—and then forcing Magikarp to evolve at Lake of Rage, but Lance and I stopped that—."

"Lance. The Indigo Champion. You and him worked together before winning?"

She glanced back, "Uh, yeah? I mean, okay, I didn't know he was the Champion then, but we teamed up, found their secret hideout, and stopped that crap in Mahagony Town. Then the Radio Tower situation happened, and, well, that was the end of them after I beat their executive. Giovanni never returned, and Silver picked up the pieces a year or two later."

"Uh, wow. Anymore crazy organization-fighting secrets I should know about?"

"Team Galactic. And, um... Team Plasma."

Leon meant to display his disbelief, but has to pause at the second team name. He hadn't heard of them, but he hadn't missed how she said it. It was off. She had less vigor in it, and he couldn't help wondering why.

"So," he coughed instead. "Three organization. You beat them all?"

"With help, but... yeah. They threatened the regions, and I was in a position to help... so with my track record, the League kind of likes me enough they support me and ask me to help in situations that are difficult for regular trainers."

"I admit... I didn't expect that."

She laughed, "Why's that?"

"You're just so... humble. About all of it. We don't get a lot of news from across the pond, but, you'd think we'd know your name when you've taken out three evil syndicates."

"It's because they keep it on the down low. They don't want the populace knowing too much about them if they can help it, and naming me would make me a target, too. The less I'm known, the easier it is for me to deal with things or infiltrate if there's some other gang causing problems."

"Wait—is that why you came here then? To stop Rose?"

Arcanine stopped at that point, crouching down. Cassandra followed his gaze, and gave him a good pat on the side. He'd found their quarry just below, in an area where the snow wasn't as thick and grass was abundant, though the roots were buried in white. A variety of trees ran along the river pushing through the section along with a handful of exposed rocks. She reckoned they had a den nearby, especially when winter-resistant bushes with berries were around. Their motley crew was far enough away to not be seen, and the wind was blowing their way, keeping their scents from being found.

"Alright, we'll set up here—just in those rocks so we're a little harder to see. There's bound to be a Darmanitan leader around, but if those Darumaka haven't been spooked we're clear," she explained, shuffling over to some outcrops dusted in white. She settled down with her Pokémon, who gave them a warm, soft pillow to lay on like before. Leon sat next to her, wrapping the blanket around them both. She pulled out her notebook, ready to write as she observed.

After a few moments, he pressed, "So..?"

"Hmm? Oh! No, that's not why I cam here. I doubt the League knew anything about what he was doing—at least, the foreign leagues, anyways. Yours I don't know. We don't keep in contact much. All I knew about Rose was what the public saw, to be honest."

"So you just came for the Challenge and to... get away?"

"Yeah, something like that," she shrugged. He decided not to press. He could tell she had nothing more she wanted to give—like he didn't.

"Any other crazy things I should know about you then? Don't tell me you've encountered Legendary Pokemon, too?"

She didn't hesitate, "Yeeeep. I caught one."

Once again, he'd have spit out a drink if had one. Instead, he made a loud "what", that she quickly silenced by slapping her hand to his face. They both glanced down to the white-furred Darumaka, but they remained unawares. The redhead sighed with relief and kept her voice low as she jotted down some notes.

"Yes, I caught one. Suicine, a water-type, and part of the legendary beasts trio of Johto. Raikou and Entei are the other two, electric and fire. For some reason Suicine thought I was a worthy trainer, so after a few encounters we fought, and I caught them. I've met more than that, though, but I didn't catch them, except... one other."

Again, she trailed off, her tone making him glance to her. He didn't miss the swirl of emotions in her hazel eyes. That pain there, hidden in her face? He knew it, too.

No wonder she understood him.

"Anyways, Sinnoh had a lot, which I had to contend with thanks to Team Galactic, but didn't catch them. Unova had it's share, and Hoenn does, too, although they appeared after I left. Some other Hoenn Champion handled that mess, but they've kept one of them I'm pretty sure"

"Wow... I think I'm getting jealous."

"Ugh, don't. It's honestly so much trouble. I was lucky Suicune was my first, and then the two birds back home were pretty much doing their thing. The ones in Kanto have been missing for a while so they weren't a big deal. The rest have been such a paaaaain."

"Ha! You'd have liked Zacian and Zamazenta, I bet."

"I'll take your word for it. So, yeah. I've had an interesting Champion experience, I'm not here on some secret League mission, and I've had to deal with lots of Pokémon. If anything, this is kind of a vacation."

"Can't argue there," he chuckled, pulling the blanket a little closer. Arcanine noticed and began to breathe warm air inside. "Even after losing my title, I keep busy. Running the Tower and all, which I do love. It's probably on of the best things I've done, and I do like helping Gloria adjust to her new position, but—."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, 'Lee," she chuckled softly, nudging him with her shoulder. "I saw how busy you were as Champion. I'm personally surprised you never collapsed from all the exhaustion. You're like me, though—we keep busy. We need things to do; it's just in our nature, so we do it, and we forget to take a break. I mean, I'm not sure I'd really count this as a break, but... it's a breather, I guess, until you need to get back."

'To whatever is that sent you out here' she silently added, still wondering what it was. If only he would just tell her.

"Yeah, I guess it is," he hummed softly, closing his eyes as a cool breeze came through. Its icy touch pricked at his nose, but he found he didn't mind right now. He rarely got a chance to enjoy anything so simple these days. His guilt and need to do something—to be something made sure of it. He was a hopeless mess, and he could only assume so was she in her own way. Although, frankly, she sounded like she had her shit together far better than he did.

"You can sleep if you want. I normally don't talk, to be honest, although I have enjoyed our conversations. Truthfully, I've missed it—especially with someone who's so passionate about Pokemon," she chuckled, and he opened an eye to look at her. She smiled at him, gaze gentle, and he felt warmth growing in his cheeks. Then she looked away and he could pretend it was nothing. He continued to watch her, though, while she kept vigil on the small ice-type Pokémon below. He wondered what she was thinking, taking her notes and making little drawings.

He wondered if she was just doing this to avoid her own problems, too?

"Tell me about them—what you found out. I've loved to hear."

Cassandra looked, surprised, but then recalled how attentive he was earlier. Even not being a proper academic, she found it endearing he was sincere in his curiosity. Not many outside professors cared, and she honestly wouldn't have expected it from him. Granted, she didn't expect many to take an interest in what she did or who she was these days—in part her own doing—and with it being so long since she'd actually kept such talkative company, it was nice. A lot more than she thought it would be.

"Alright, just let me know when you get bored. That, or you can tell me some interesting things about Galar and its people."

"Only if you tell me more about Johto and Kanto and the other regions."

"Deal. So... what do you want to know about the little guys?" she grinned, and he asked anything he could think of.

So began a long, enjoyable day of talking of anything and everything again, and both found it was one of the better times they'd had in a long while.

\---------------------------

 **TMWolf:** _Aaaah does my heart good bringing two dorks together. Exploring their hints about their baggage. Fun times. So, again, Cassandra basically takes the places of Crystal/Lyra in the games and also the players in Sinnoh and Unova._


	5. Sword

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all been spoiled by fluff enough, time for some fun >:) btw I use johto-jin for native Johto people because I saw it in a discussion about it and liked the idea. Kanto-jin, Sinnoh-jin, Hoen-jin or what not. Galar uses Galarians; Unovians, Kalosians, etc.

\-------------------

The day watching the Darumaka had been long, but in a way that had made it even better. They talked of most anything, not unlike when they fished, and laughs, jests, teases, and even somber words could be found throughout. Neither could recall talking so much to anyone about so much before, but it didn't feel weird. Perhaps it was their common understanding, or maybe it was just the right person at the right time. Either way, the hours felt like a short bliss, learning about Pokemon, regions, and cultures. It was only ended when the ice-type Pokemon finally dispersed on their own, and their stomached demanded to be fed. They returned then, and although dinner was quiet and talk more-so jokes and sharp wit, the sense of enjoyment remained and the things that drove them there felt far away.

It was a feeling Cassandra found she liked—a lot, and looking at Leon afterward felt different, too. It was silly, of course, and she was able to brush it off, but she was acutely aware of his presence in the tent that night. She couldn't help wondering if her companion might think the same, but she forbade such ideas from going too far and let her slumber take her.

Thankfully, she did not repeat her mistake of the morning before, and rose before Leon, who slept deeply. She decided to let him be, knowing he needed it. Based on what he'd told her, the life of a Champion, even after a loss, was almost insanity. He had no privacy to speak of and so little time to even see his family. She had been given plenty of freedom to do as she pleased in her time as a brand new Champion, and even working for the League wasn't so demanding. She pitied him, and wished he would take more breaks. He'd earned them.

But guilt and one's personal strife could bring one's self to do such things.

After all, what the hell was she doing out here if not the same thing?

Sighing, Cassandra left the tent to tend to her Pokémon and also Leon's. The lizard looked definitely better after two days, and he was stretching his wings more readily. He might even be ready to fly.

Was it weird she didn't want him to be?

She left the question unanswered as she came over to the Pokémon, offering to examine his injury. He agreed, and she began to poke and prod. In return, Charizard grumbled and shifted, making all sorts of complaints, and also making her job difficult.

"Oh, stop _fussing_ you overgrown baby lizard," Cassandra scoffed, batting Charizard lightly on his rump, earning a grunt of surprise. An orange snout bumped her back, and she glared at the fire-type before returning her focus to his wings. She urged him to stretch his limbs to their full extent, and, once satisfied, stepped away. She held out a berry for him, which he gladly chomped down. With a pleased rumble he stared at her expectantly. The red-haired woman set her hands on her hips, "Looks like you're all healed up for the most part. I'd say you can finally go for a test flight—but _take it easy_! And take Corviknight with you so you have a backup. No, no no-don't you give me that look. I know that's sass. You get it from Leon. So, hush. You have to be careful when it comes to wing injuries. Corvi is just there to alert us if something goes wrong so, no buts!"

The Charizard narrowed its eyes, glaring, and she did the same right back. Ultimately, the Pokémon huffed and grumbled, but nodded with a flick of the tail.

"Atta, boy," she grinned, rubbing him gently under the chin, which brought out a pleased purr.

"Now that's just not fair," the familiar voice of her "guest" called out, and she turned to find Leon leaning against the cave wall, arms folded, and brow raised. "You _never_ purr for me and I give you plenty of affection!"

"That's because he's too busy babysitting you," she winked, then continued as he huffed—not unlike his Charizard. "Good news, though; he's all healed and ready for a test flight. You want to go with him or...?"

"No, you mentioned it'd be best if I didn't when we talked about it yesterday, and I'll heed the advice. You're the 'expert' here," he smirked teasingly, earning an eye-roll.

"Oh, hush. I just happened to pay more attention in the health and anatomy seminars the League holds. Not my fault you got lost on the way to them."

"I didn't get lost!" he pouted, throwing up a hand.

"Uh-huh."

He smirked suddenly, "I just never went."

"What are we going to do about your master, Charizard? He's hopeless," she sighed dramatically, falling back against the Pokémon, whom nudged her back up with his belly.

"'We'?" he raised a brow.

She shrugged, "I mean, he and I both are practically babysitting you now."

"I'm a big boy who can handle himself, thanks."

"...Who's the only one who wasn't allowed to cook on your journey because you always burned the food?" she quipped back, raising her own brow back. "Who's also not allowed to prep dinner of any kind because you nearly took your finger off once? And whose _mother_ won't even let him cook because he almost set the kitchen on fire—as said by _your_ own words?"

"...In my defense I haven't done any of that in a long time, but still! You're just being mean now."

"Only because I care," she smirked in kind, coming up to pat his head gently. Walking by, the Charizard smirked, too.

Leon glared at the lizard, but smiled oh-so-sweetly at Cassandra, "Aww... you care about me? Is that a confession?"

"Do you want it to be? Fallen for my wild charms have you?"

"You're the one who stripped me naked," he winked.

"What? Want to make it even?"

His cheeks did flare a bit, but he kept composed, smile almost devilish, "Is that a request?"

"I—N-no, it's not," she retorted, her own cheeks turning red. She couldn't keep his gaze and huffed. Damn, he got her. He shouldn't have, but he did. Jerk was actually really good at teasing, and she both enjoyed and hated the cheeky laugh he made when he saw he had. Really, she shouldn't be getting so embarrassed over a joke—especially when she'd been doing it right back. And just yesterday it had been fine, and it wasn't like she hadn't been teased like that before.

It was probably just because he was so attractive—and such a nice guy.

It had only been a few days since she'd saved him from the snow, but Cassandra had learned more than she ever thought she would about the former Champion Leon. She used to think him mostly just another flashy celebrity, but he was much, much more. In truth, he reminded her of a country-boy who got swept up in the fame, and didn't know where to go now that it was over. Guilt kept him from going back home, but he seemed so lost on the way forward. And yet, he still smiled. Sometimes genuinely, sometimes forced. Of course, she only knew because she would do the same.

Strange, how she found such camaraderie with a man that had been a stranger through a screen just days ago.

"Anyways, the jacket is still fitting okay? I forgot to ask yesterday," she inquired, motioning to the white one he wore, and keen to change the topic.

Leon, thankfully, let her get away with it "Yep. It's a closer fit than I'd like, but I'm keeping warm. Legs still get cold, but, I'm grateful for what you can give. Tell your... uncle, right? Tell him I said thanks."

"Oh, please," she scoffed, walking past him to join Charizard and the others outside. "If I tell him I gave it to a guy, he'd proceed to blab to my mom who would _demand_ to see my 'boyfriend'."

"Ha! Sounds like my mom. Let's hope they never meet," he grinned, right on her heels.

"Don't worry—her and Dad don't like to travel much anymore, so we're safe from that disaster," she snickered and whistled in a distinct two-tweet pattern. Above, her Corviknight dived down and landed softly, reducing snow flurries. He hopped over, coming up to just above her height, and titled his head curiously. "You read to go for a flight with Charizard?"

Corviknight squawked happily and pranced around the fire-type before stopping in front to chirp and chatter at the Pokémon. It groaned, as if bemoaning it, and even looked to his trainer pleadingly.

"Ah-ah. You do as she says. And don't go for too long—just an hour or two at most. And if the weather gets bad, come _straight back_. I don't want you get hurting again," Leon replied, earning an eye roll, but his Pokémon would comply. To their left, Tyranitar suddenly chuffed and grunted some words, which the Charizard regarded, then grunted in reply, which seemed to satisfy the green-armored Pokémon.

"Alright, well, off with you two. We may or may not be here when you get back. Just wait around if we aren't."

Corviknight cawed happily and took off, hovering up high to wait for the larger lizard. The Pokémon took his time, stretching his wings and inhaling slowly, taking it all in. Then he suddenly crouched and shot into the air, passing the bird Pokémon vertically before leveling out. His new companion followed in suit and they took off, circling in wide loops or diving as low or as high as desired. Cassandra watched for a few minutes before turning to Leon.

"So. Anything you want to do while we wait? It might be your last day here and all," she chuckled, and was a little surprised when he didn't look as excited as she thought he would. She quickly added, "Not that you can't come back, of course. You'll always be welcome at La Cave de Cassandra."

He snickered, "I'm sure I will. It's been a five-star stay, even if the hostess is _incredibly_ cheeky. But you should come visit civilization, too. I'd love to show you all the parts of Galar you've been missing—and I _know_ you have, else you'd not be out here months at a time."

"Oh is that _so_? Well, I guess that's a promise then. How can I resist the chance to have you prove me wrong? But until then... well, I planned to go check on some more Pokémon today—higher up this time. A bit more dangerous, too, but it's not that bad if you wanted to come."

"Should I say no?" he quirked a brow.

"I mean, you can, but the weather's perfect."

He thought on it a moment before shrugging, "Alright, I'm in.

"Awesome, let me go grab my things and we can head out," she replied with a bright smile, trotting back to her tent where she pulled out the same pack from yesterday along with a blanket and third item bundled underneath. She paused to pay some attention to Lapras before returning the water-type to her Pokéball, and then quickly doused the fire while grabbing a blanket. As she approached Leon, she tossed a fur-lined hat. "Found that just now. We'll be out longer so you'll want it. Extra blanket, too, if you get too cold."

"Where are we going exactly?"

"Like I said, further up into the mountain, which means we're taking everyone with us—besides our fliers," she responded. At the entrance, she brought her fingers to her lips and let out a long, one-note whistle. Leon watched as her Pokémon responded; the Tyranitar came over with a head tilted questioningly; from afar, Lucario and Boltund stopped their wrestling to sprint over; and from further out the Arcanine did a sharp turn and rushed in. All were curious and eager, no doubt sensing the change in usual mood. Up high, Charizard and Corviknight came close, but she did the double whistle again. The two Pokémon exchanged words and continued on.

"So. Whistles. Nice."

"It makes it easier than shouting," she grinned, and then motioned upwards. "Don't worry about them, by the way. Corvi can hold his own against most wild Pokemon around here, but he still has a type weakness. So it's better to let him play babysitter instead."

Leon glanced to Tyranitar, and gestured, "What about the big guy?"

"He's ground and dark, so ice isn't too bad... water can be an issue sometimes, but his armored skin is incredibly tough, so even a Wailord will have trouble against him."

"How old is he?"

"Hmm... probably eleven or even twelce years now, hence why his skin is really thick. Might be older, truth be told."

Leon whistled, "Right, you've had him since Johto. Where'd he get the scar on his forehead, though?"

"It was before I got him. My cousin Crystal was the one who found him at the base of Mt. Silver, and he was just like that. It's been there ever since, even as a Pupitar. I can only assume it was from other Tyranitars attacking him when he was young since they get so territorial. It's funny; he used to hate it as a Larvitar, but he's quite proud of it now," she chuckled, then looked to her team, hands on her hips. "Anyways, time to get going guys! We'll be checking in on the upper colonies, so be on your best behavior. Arc, you'll be our ride and ears, so keep an eye out for Alpha."

"'Alpha'?" the young man inquired as she returned all but her fire-type to their balls. Arcanine crouched down, allowing them to slip on, Leon wrapping his arms around her. She did her best to ignore how much she liked it.

"There's a particular mean female Abomasnow where we're going—very protective of her Snover. We've beaten her before, so she mostly just warns us to keep away, but she can still be a problem. If she gets mad, she'll start a bad blizzard, so I do what I can to just observe her and her colony, sometimes giving treats. But _do not_ get within five feet or touch any Snover. If one comes near, back off it immediately. If she howls at you just shout for Arcanine, she can't beat him."

"Are you sure we should we go?" he chuckled nervously.

She laughed back, "Sorry, I just want to make sure you know to be wary. Like I said we're in a... _stalemate_ of sorts. She lets me view things, but no interaction with the Snover; the rest are okay. She'll be anxious about you, but if you're with me, it should be fine. We're just going to be observing, anyways, and playing nice with Alpha . She's just the Big Bad Boss of the location—outside the Dens of course."

"Dynamax Pokémon _are_ a little different."

"And not worth studying—they're way too aggressive and strong."

"I'm surprised your Pokémon couldn't handle it."

"I don't have Dynamax, remember?"

Leon paused, "Right... and you _still_ beat everyone without much trouble?"

"Not without trouble. It was definitely a challenge. I just figured out all I had to do was outlast the Dynamax, and then the Gym Leader's Pokémon would be ripe for picking off since they're weaker for a little bit right after. I'm guessing _you_ never had that problem since you would win with your Charizard right away," she smirked.

"...Fair point. Well, so... off we go?"

"You heard him, Arc! We're heading up higher—you know the spot!" she called out, and her Arcanine howled before bounding onward. He took off along the side of the mountain the cave was nestled before making a sharp bound up a ledge. When Leon looked, he could see only a long train of mountain peaks without a pass to go through. Apparently, that meant the only way was up and over, which wasn't that far, but he would have hesitated trying to climb it. Yet, it seemed there were enough footholds along the rock face that the fire-type could leap and bound up-carefully in a zig-zag path, of course. A few times he worried their extra weight would bring them down, but Arcanine was as stubborn as he was strong; difficult spots were overcome with patience and endurance, and, much sooner than he thought, they reached the top of the cliff.

The air was crisper—colder, too, but the coat and hat kept his upper body warm. His legs felt the chill some, but he would survive. Besides, he had the blanket. Scanning around, he noted there was an almost steady length of flat land near the top of the mountain that suddenly cut off as a ledge. Further south he could see a large pond, or perhaps a small lake at its base. The ice was mostly dusted with snow, but he could see sections that had cracked and opened—perhaps due to a Pokémon. Cassandra motioned, catching his attention, and he looked ahead. Though most blended in very well in the snow, trees, and tall grass, he could make out Pokémon roaming around, leaving paths through the drift. Some stretched all the way to where they were

She motioned to the paths next as Arcanine continued on, "Looks like Alpha is around—that really big one there on the far side. The two smaller, more shallow ones are her Snovers. And that one... Snorunt, which means the Glalie and Froslass pair should be out and about. They're pretty friendly, actually. They don't worry much about predators thanks to their shell. They will get protective of the Snorunts if they think they're in danger, though."

"And you still profess you're not a professor," Leon mused, shaking his head.

Cassandra laughed, "I'm not! I swear! I don't meet the education qualifications. And I don't want to study them as much as they do. It's just a hobby."

"Think we have different definitions of 'hobby'."

"Right, yours is getting—oh, hang on. Arc, hold up. There's Alpha. She sees us. Keep still," the redhead spoke quickly, lowering her tone and gesturing. Leon followed and could see why his companion urged caution. The Abomasnow was _massive_. Almost twice the size of normal one, and it was a shiny to boot. It was watching them closely, white fur raised slightly. It let out a roar a moment later, and he worried she might attack. Cassandra touched his arm, though, which gave him some reassurance, but he didn't dare loosen his shoulders until it barked in their direction and stayed put.

He let out the breath he was holding, "That was _intense_."

"She's a fierce one. So, we'll keep here, and she'll keep over there inside the tree line. Only Glalie and Froslass it is today," she chuckled, slipping off and headed further along, Arcanine and Leon right behind. The snow was thankfully sturdy, and so they didn't fall too deep into it as they went. "We'll set up here by the boulders. I've never had trouble when I do. Oh, look, there's the Glalie now. He's the male Alpha of their colony."

"The one with the chipped horn?" he inquired, following her focus. It was one of two, and the tip of its right horn was missing.

"Yep, it's the easy way to mark him. Right, so... hopefully his Froslass mate and their offspring will show up. People don't really see them interacting as family units in the wild much," she hummed, settling down and pulling out her notebook. Leon took up next to her and, of course, Arcanine behind. He glanced over at her notes, and saw the page she was on had a lot on it. Pictures, little diagrams, and scribbles all over. They even had dates and a message labeled "Magnolia".

She really had been out here a long time, hadn't she? She'd finished the Gym Challenge, too, and before even that, taken on multiple regions.

Leon's gaze fell, "... I feel so unaccomplished now."

Cassandra paused, looking over to him sharply. She watched him carefully, and seemed to understand.

She touched his arm, squeezing gently, "Don't."

"It's true, though," he grimaced, waving his other hand. "All I've done is win battles for a decade. You've done that _and_ been all over and in just on one year you've done so much research..."

" _Leon_ ," she spoke firmly, surprising him a little. She didn't use his name often, preferring some teasing nickname. He wasn't much better. Regardless, he knew she was serious when she said it fully. She sighed softly, "Look... yeah, I've traveled around a lot, and I'm doing some stuff you think is really cool, but you're letting it blind you to your own achievements. You might not think much of it, but being undefeated for that long is... it's _incredible_. Even I don't have that perfect of a streak. So, really, that's crazy incredible. I admit, I'm envious. How many people can say they're undefeated for that long? No other Champion can that's for sure, and I know a few."

He forced a smile, "It doesn't mean much now, though—I'm not undefeated anymore."

"But it _does_. You do know how many trainers and people you inspired, right? How many people decided to become trainers in the first place _because_ of you? Maybe it was to beat you. Maybe it was to emulate you. Either way, some kid saw you on TV and you gave them the dream—the spark to go on the journey. Because of _you,_ countless people and Pokémon have formed strong bonds. Because _you_ inspiredthem," she replied back firmly, gaze unwavering. She gestured, "And even in your defeat you keep on doing it. You're the one who told me why you started the Battle Tower, and those people joined because you keep inspiring them and pushing them to be better; to keep improving and making new bonds.

She grinned, "So don't try and tell me you haven't accomplished anything. Not to mention, you _did_ help save Galar. Without you, Gloria and Hop wouldn't have been able to stop that Pokémon let alone get there in time to do so. They wouldn't even have gone on their journey if it weren't for you. So, enough of that putting yourself down, alright?"

She reached up and tugged his hat down playfully over his eyes. It took a moment, but he grinned-genuinely, and lifted his hat up to show a pair of bright, shining eyes.

"Yeah, you're right. Guess we need to add motivational speaker to list of your jobs, huh?"

Cassandra snickered, "Maybe if ex-Champion butt-kicker isn't taken."

"Not sure that's League sanctioned," he smirked back, and then, to her surprised, he suddenly embraced her. It took her a moment, her face buried in a mixture of his chest and the jacket, but she returned it, if a bit awkwardly. He spoke softer, "But I think it fits. Thanks, 'Cas."

"Hey, it's my job now. I gotta do good at it or I'll get fired."

Leon scoffed, "More like you'll quit. But maybe I can return the favor and kick your butt when _you_ feel down?"

"We'll see. I prefer to stay positive, but you'll be the first I call the second I start."

"Good... So. We're just going to sit here the whole time and watch?" he inquired, readjusting the blanket to wrap around them both. He scooted closer to better wrap them up. She was reminded of the hug and blushed, which was silly, of course. It had just been a hug between friends, coming from someone who needed some support. Nothing more.

"Just about. I move around when I start to get too cold. Arc usually likes to—oh, yep there he goes," Cassandra mused, watching as Arcanine stood up, taking his warmth with him, and promptly plopped onto a thick snow patch a couple of feet away. He made a ridiculous growling-grunt sound before he rolled about, kicking and flailing happily. His tongue flopped out, and he was the epitome of foolishness.

"...I admit. I did not expect that," the young man mused, watching incredulously.

"Yeeeep. He does that. He's a hoot. And a bit of a show off. He knows I won't let the others out right now because it agitates Alpha."

"Ah. I see he takes after you," he smirked, and then laughed when she glared. "C'mon you can't deny it."

"Dammit, I can't, can I? You would know, too—Charizard takes after you just as bad."

"Maybe it s a Champion thing?"

"Maybe. I swear Lance's Dragonite would smirk just like he did. And was flashy, too. Oh, and Silver's Feraligator has the same glare."

"Ha! Guess that's your new research topic. Just make sure to give me credit," Leon snickered, though paused when he noticed something. He nudged her arm, "Hey, 'Cas, look. Arcanine stopped. He's looks keen on something?"

Cassandra narrowed her eyes as she found her Pokémon, who was, indeed, standing firm and straight now, ears forward and erect. His hackles had lifted uneasily, too. His ear flicked this way and that, searching. For what, though? He never got this tense with the Wild Pokémon, so what could it be?

Wait—there.

An echo. Of a cry. From a bird.

It was from the sky, and she only knew one bird flying right now. But where? She let her gaze race back and forth across the gray clouds, heart racing. There was no mistaking the echo now, which had grown louder. It was Corviknight. He was squawking in a panicked way, which meant he was hurt or being hurt. She couldn't see him, though! The clouds were thick, and he must have gone up so high!

"There!" Leon shouted, pointing. She followed his hand, and, sure enough, a black shape tumbled out from the clouds above on their side of the mountain. She wasn't sure she shouted his name, her mind going blank at the sight of her Pokémon falling helplessly. He was out of control, and not using his wings. The height would kill him even with the snow below, and there was no way to reach him in time.

Then—a flash of orange against gray. Charizard. He shot down from the sky and pulled the falling Corviknight into his arms.

" _Charizard! Here! We're here!"_ Leon bellowed as relief shot through her, but not for too long—not when the burning question of _how_ burst into her mind. It only grew as the lizard Pokémon veered their way, coming at a fast speed. His stopped short and landed smoothly; the bird Pokémon cradled a bit awkwardly in his arms. Corviknight cawed weakly as Cassandra came to him, helping him to the ground. A wing was damaged, a deep gash as if it had been cut. Other injuies and scrapes were laced all over, and it took all her resolve not to panic, but instead pull out a full restore. Beside her, both Charizard and Arcanine snarled and growled, their stances protective around the two trainers and hurt Pokémon, glares sent skyward.

"'Cas," Leon breathed, his own stance a bit like their Pokémon's. The redhead looked up as she applied the restore, Corviknight relaxing from the relief from the pain a little. From above, a Braviary descended from the clouds, monstrous in size, and with a fierce, piercing gaze (see A/N). It shrieked at them as it hit the ground, spewing up a cloud of ice dust, and lowered to the ground, allowing a young man to step off. His hair was a pale blond that stood out against his blue, formal tux and white cloak, and on his hip, a sword. He looked as if he were gentleman, but his smile was anything but. Instead of kindness, she could only see malice there.

"Well, well... I have found you at last, Leon, former Champion of Galar, Battle Tower founder, and trainer extraordinaire! You had my brother and I fooled there for a time, thinking you had died in the blizzard, but I had faith, and here we are! Truly, you are a man worthy of serving royalty! A shame you had to decline the first time," the man mused, coming closer with Braviary right behind. Arcanine and Charizard both bellowed roars, spewing flames. The man sneered but stopped. "Such wretched creatures, though it did lead me to you. I see you found a friend while out here as well. How touching. Your tastes are _deplorable_ ,but I suppose one such as yourself can't be too picky. Still. Tacky."

"Who the _fuck_ do you think you are, you son of a bitch!" she snapped, jumping to her feet. "Give me one damn good reason not to have Arcanine bite your head off!"

"'Cas, no—this guy is no joke!" Leon hissed, grabbing her arm to pull her back. He kept his voice low, "He's why I ended up out here!"

" _What_?" she growled back, shooting a glare at the man. Their Pokémon snarled at the Braviary as it raised itself high, shrieking loudly.

"Well, if you _must_ have an answer... simply because I am Swordward, rightful ruler of Galar, and _above_ you peons in all ways," the man half-sighed in answer to her question, as if it were so obvious a child would know it. He flipped his cape showily, head raised high, "Now, do a be a good lad, Leon, and come along. We had our disagreements before, but I do believe you'll be more willing now."

"And why's that? Because last you told me, you planned to 'show Galar it's true rulers', and that didn't sound like a champion time at all," the young man ground back.

"Oh, we still are, and I assure you, we are simple making things as they _should_ be. Frankly, if Rose hadn't jumped the gun it all would have gone quite swimmingly. Alas, we must now rely on a contingency plan, which you threw a bit of a wrench in running off like that, but it is no matter. Things will go as planned. The only question is whether I need to rough you up once again. I would rather not, as I am a _reasonable_ ruler and dislike harming my subjects, but you are quite stubborn! Not unlike your brother and his little friend."

Cassandra frowned, confused, and looked to Leon.

A mixture of pure fear and anger was painted across his face. Charizard, too, snarled, and spewed fire from its mouth as it stomped at the snow and flared its wings.

"You—what the fuck did you do to Hop and Gloria!?"

The man waggled a finger, "Ah-ah, don't you go raising your hand to me, my dear Leon. Calm your little lizard down and let us be civil... Oh, and watch your tongue—lest, well, who knows what will become of your preciousyounger brother. It'd be a shame if he got hurt. Oh, and his sweet little friend, too."

Leon grit his teeth and clenched his fists, "What do you even want!?"

"You know very well what we're after, Leon! We've tried to be reasonable, but you have refused your rightful rulers and so you've left us no choice. You know where they were hidden from _us_! The brats wouldn't speak, but _you_ will!" the man smirked as his Braviary hovered over, low enough so he could rub its neck despite standing almost a foot taller. Its feathers remained high, offensive, intimidating. The Swordward's eyes grew dark, "Because if you don't... I can't guarantee their safety."

"They're just _children_ , you bastard!"

"And _we_ are _Kings_! We are the rightful rulers of this land, and we will not be besmirched by a pair of worthless, unworthy Pokémon stealing our glory! We will show all of you fools!" their enemy snapped, suddenly unsheathing his sword and jabbing it in their direction. "Now bow down and obey, Leon! Or will your brother suffer for your insubordination?"

" _Fuck_!" Leon hissed, gaze falling. What could he do? Hop was in danger! Gloria, too! The son of a bitch had gotten to _both_ of them—because he wasn't strong enough to stop them before. He didn't have enough Pokémon with him to make a difference. Worse still, Cassandra was caught up in it now, too. What could he do, though? If he acted, they would get hurt! What was he supposed to do? How could Galar's Champion—former—be so useless?

Cassandra watched the emotions swirling across Leon's face; the anger, the frustration—the pain and despair. She knew it all too well, and she knew she couldn't just let it be. He needed help, even if he would never dare ask her. He _needed_ it, though, and she was more than willing to give it. She _despised_ men like this "Swordward" guy—the ones who thought the world was theirs for the taking. That, and that piece of shit had hurt _her_ Pokémon. No one hurt her team or her friends and got away with it. He was going to rue this day. 

"Leon, let's take him down," Cassandra spoke suddenly, voice hushed so only he heard, and grabbed his arm before he replied. Her eyes were stead fast when they met his, "He won't hurt Hop—not badly, if at all. Assuming the asshole even _has_ your brother like he says, he needs him alive and well to both use against _you_ and to get what he wants... because if he can't get you, he'll try Hop again. He's the kind of person that won't get rid of Hop until he gets what he wants, which he can't have without _you_ or your brother. I think I know what he's after, and you're right to have fought him. Now, we're going to do it again, and this time you won't be alone."

The young man swallowed uneasily, shaking some with his frustration, "How can you be sure? Hop's life—"

"I am not a man of infinite patience, Leon! Come forward _now_ or else!"

She glanced at her companion, "Because men like him are all the same. Leon, do you trust me?"

"What?"

"Do you _trust_ me?" she looked at him now, and he her. He waited a breath, then nodded. She ginned, "Good."

"But—'Cas, no; I can't ask you to do this—."

"I'm not offering my help. I'm _giving_ it. You're my friend, 'Lee. And I'm not going to fail a friend again. So, listen: walk forward like you're surrendering. When you hear me shout, drop down _immediately_. Don't hesitate. I've got your back."

"Okay," he nodded, and, straightening himself, walked forward. He touched Charizard's side gently, sharing a look. The lizard-like Pokémon seemed to understand, growling unhappily but settling down. Leon murmured a soft "don't worrry", before he raised his voice so the enemy could hear, "Stay put, Charizard. And 'Cas, you and your Pokémon stand down. I'm going to leave with him, and you can't come with me. Don't worry about me, okay? I'll be alright. He wants me alive."

"Excellent choice. I see your time in the wild has, miraculously, made you _less_ savage," Swordward beamed, sheathing his sword. He grasped hold of his Braviary's feathers to hoist himself up onto its back. "Go grab him, my glorious Pokémon."

The large bird flapped its wings and lifted, hovering closer to Leon. The young man stopped, raising his arm to shield his eyes from the wind and snow being blown his way. The sharp claws came close, reading to wrap around his shoulders to take him away. He braced, hoping Cassandra really did have a plan.

"Spark!"

Leon dropped down—just in time for a yellow-black blur to shoot over where he'd been, electricity flaring across the area. He felt a static run across his skin, but the true power struck the Braviary straight in the chest. The bird shrieked in agony, it's type-weakness enhancing the pain. Swordward was shocked, too, eliciting a pained yelp as both toppled to the ground. The snow cushioned the fall, but the bird still writhed, the electrical currents not fading any time soon. It was paralyzed for sure. The man, however, struggled away, hair now unkempt and fury in his features. The sweet Boltund Leon had come to know over the last few days stood in front of him, hackles and tail raised high, sparks shooting off from its fur. The care-free Pokémon was gone, replaced with a seasoned fighter. It let loose snarls and barks and growls, ready for the next round. Not a moment later, Charizard and Arcanine were beside him, eager to fight. Then Cassandra was there as well, helping him up.

"Good. It worked. He was so focused on you he didn't notice Boltund. Now that bastard won't be flying anywhere any time soon."

"Y-you... you _bitch_!" Swordward howled, unsheathing his sword again. "How _dare_ you strike your king!"

"I'm from Johto, _bitch,_ and we don't have kings—especially not scum like you," she spat back, flipping her middle finger his way. He shrieked again and tore a pokéball from his hip. From it a Golisopod emerged; just as if not larger than the Braviary and far more fearsome. It shrilled at them, mandibles and smaller limbs twittering aggressively.

"Blast them away with Liquidation!"

"Shit, everyone get back!" the redhead shouted as the bug-type Pokémon suddenly surrounded itself in water and shot at them at high speeds. Charizard quickly dove for Leon, rolling away with him to safety. Arcanine moved just as fast to grab Cassandra by her hood and pull her aside. Only Boltund remained, electricity flaring from its fur to encase itself in nearly a bright ball of light and lunged at the incoming water.

"Boltund wait—!" she shouted, but it was done; the two elements collided, and while the Golisopod was stopped, body twitching as the current rushed through its form, her Pokémon was thrown back, toppling over backwards through the snow until it finally stopped. It was still for a moment, but then began to stand up, albeit weakly. It growled on its shaky legs, the blast doing a good deal of damage despite a type advantage. It was simply the superior attack power of the enemy Pokémon, Golisopod famous for their awesome strength. Cassandra didn't let it phase her, though, as she gestured, "Go, Arcanine! Keep it busy! You know what to do, but watch out for the water attacks!"

"Charizard, help him out!" Leon added. "Use aerial attacks!"

"You think you can team up on me?! Well two can play at that game!" their enemy bellowed and threw three more balls. From them emerged Sirfetch'd, Doublade, and a Bisharp.

"Shit. 'Cas, I only have Charizard," Leon grimaced, keeping close to her. She didn't look as worried, but he could tell she was tense as she quickly picked up her Boltund and moved back to where Corviknight was. She placed them by one another, and then untied her bag to toss it to him. Her hands found her pokéballs next. "Take care of them—I have plenty of full restores and full heals for cuts. I'll handle this asshole."

"But—."

"I told you, Leon. You're my _friend_. All this time you've been helping Galar, so now let me help you. My Pokémon won't fall so easy, and neither will your Charizard. But I need you to heal my guys there so I don't need to worry about them. That, and you can watch my six, alright?"

"...Alright. I can do that. Show him what Galar—and Johto—really thinks about wannabe kings!"

She smirked as she freed her remaining Pokémon, "Will do. Alright, guys, time to put an asshole in his place! Lucario stop that Bisharp! Lapras go after Sirfetch'd with your physic attacks!"

Lucario reacted first, needing only a moment to register the situation, and launched into battle. He shot towards the Bisharp, which aimed to slice through Arcanine's side as he took on the Golisopod. Her fighting Pokémon got their first. His paws clapped onto both sides of the bladed arms, stopping the Bisharp. Its movement paused, her fighter quickly released the blade and slammed a fierce Force Palm into its gut. The Pokémon cried out, thrown back quite a ways, rolling through the snow.

Behind him, Lapras could not move as easily, but she was no less capable. Cassandra had taught her plenty of useful moves, and with quick gesture from her trainer, Lapras activated Psychic. Eyes glowing, the water Pokémon's focus went to the Sirfetch'd, whom paused mid slash at Lucaio to squawk in pain, clutching at its head. It was in the throes of the Lapras' power, which it was weak against.

The Doublade remained, attempting to thwart the Charizard's assault on Golisopod with Arcanine. It was doing a good job, slashing and thrusting at the fire-type in the air. It managed a few scratches while receiving burns of its own, which served its greater purpose: leaving the four-legged fire-type alone to face the powerful water-bug-type Pokémon. Cassandra's team was certainly strong, but the enemy was, too, and the type match wasn't in their favor. In that, Tyranitar would play his role. Already he was angry with things, but upon emerging from it's ball and seeing the Corviknight hurt, cawing pitiful, the armor skinned Pokémon hissed with rage.

"Dark Pulse that sucker out of the sky, big guy," Cassandra growled with him, touching his side as she pressed forward. She didn't need to tell him twice. Dark energy formed around the Pokémon, a low rumble coming from the gut. Seconds later, he let loose a back pulse into the sky, aimed right for the Doublade. It hit home, and the Pokémon fell hard. Charizard looked back briefly and then rejoined Arcanine's efforts to dodge and strike at their enemy, heading commands thrown out by Leon every so often.

Beyond them, the man they called trainer watched, rage boiling in his expression. Swordward was losing, and he knew it. His Braviary was still out of commission, Boltund's assault having done what it needed. Sirfetch'd had finally been freed from Lapras' attack, but it was left weakened and disoriented. Bisharp sparred with Lucario, whom ducked and dodged, earned some cuts and slices in his fur, but then returned with Force Palms and other combative techniques that ultimately left the Pokémon downed and unable to go on. The Doublade made to continue fighting, but Tyranitar was on it by then, and sunk its dark-glowing fangs into the metal. The shriek it let out when it cracked was ear-piercing, and Cassandra had to make a command for her Pokémon to drop it. As much as she hated the man, the Pokémon didn't deserve to be broken like that, no matter how pissed her Tyranitar rightfully was.

That left the Golisopod, which was being pushed back by Arcanine and Charizard working in tandem; when one was forced to retreat, the other dove in, biting, blasting fire, or slashing with claws. It was too much for the Pokémon, which hissed and wailed and shot water this way and that or used bug or rock-based attacks, but to no avail. And once Lucario joined, kicking hard enough to knock it back so it almost lost balance, that was the end. With a final push, Arcanine used its extreme speed on her command to slam into the water-bug-type, shoving it hard into a nearby boulder on the edge of the cliff face. It dropped down to the snow and didn't get up.

Cassandra's Pokémon stood together, victorious before Swordward. Behind her, Leon let out a sigh of relief and sent a grin to the two Pokemon under his care. Their attacker however, was quite the opposite. His sword shook in his hand, eyes wide in uncertainty and fear now. He fell down to his knees. Cassandra kept her glare hot as she came closer, fingers clenched in fists.

"No—no, no, no! How can this be?!" the man rasped.

"Because you're no _king_. You're just another delusional fool who thinks he can oppress and control people using his Pokémon."

"How _dare_ you! My brother and I are the chosen ones! We are the descendants of the true kings of Galar! We are destined to rule! We are—," he shrieked, but was cut short when her fist slammed into his face. He toppled back, stupefied, and clutched his bleeding nose. "You—you—you—you _hit_ me! _Me!_ Your king!"

"I told you: I'm Johto-jin, and we have no king! And neither do Galarians. You're _done_ , and when we find where you're keeping Hop and Gloria, we're taking your whole organization down," she hissed, turning on her heel as she shook her smarting hand. "Let's go, guys. It's time we—."

"' _Cas, look out!"_

The redhead spun around in time just as a flash of metal came at her. She dodged the initial thrust through pure luck, but then Swordward pivoted, and hot pain flared through her side as red splattered against the pristine white. She staggered, hand touching her side. It came back covered in red, hot fluid.

He'd cut her. He'd actually _cut_ her with his sword. That had never happened before. No one she'd fought had ever actually physically harmed her or at least been able to because their Pokémon had done the fighting. Yet, there was his sword, blood—her blood—dripping from it, and madness in his eyes. She thought she heard someone screaming, but she wasn't sure. Her ears were ringing along with the pounding of her heart in her head. Time slowed when she looked at the man again, just as he raised his sword—to kill her, no doubt.

The air shook with a incredible bellow, and from the snow drift a massive, looming shape emerged behind the man. She vaguely knew what it was and almost laughed when the creature slapped the sword-wielding man away with it's large, clawed hand. He tumbled down the slope and lay still for a time, flecks of red showered around him and on the path he'd flung. She could not ponder on him long, though, as the air suddenly grew cold.

Alpha, in all her fearsome glory, had decided she would endure their presence no longer; their fight surely endangering her Snover. As such, she summoned a terrible wind that chilled them to the bone. It was so strong and great that her Pokémon had to duck down to avoid being blown over. Cassandra, however, could not find the strength to steady herself and so stumbled and toppled backwards, unable to find footing in the snow until, suddenly, there was none. Air was all that was beneath her and she fell down to the icy pond below.

She didn't recall when she hit, breaking through the thin ice, her consciousness leaving her just before.

\-----------------

**TMWolf:** _So, like I said, AU. Swordward and Shielbert do NOT have those RIDICULOUS hairdos. Just... no xD They're also basically psychopaths because they're crazy. No comical storylines here for them :p Also, I gave them Braviaries because otherwise I saw no way for them to get everywhere BEFORE me all the dang time... 'cause no way some Taxi would take those freaks xD Anyways, yay for some real action and a look into the new and improved king descendant baddies ;)_

_Oh, and yeah, 'Cas is kinda dying lmao_


	6. Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to see if Cas lives! Also, for future reference, I make Charizard bigger than he is. I refuse to believe Leon is taller than him XD IT AIN'T RIGHT

\---------------------------

" _No!"_ Leon screamed as Cassandra went over the edge, unable to stop herself. The Abomasnow was in a fury, and it took too much strength to rush over to her Pokémon, Boltund in his arms while Corviknight lumbered behind. Charizard and Arcanine finally found their footing and blasted fire at Alpha, forcing her back. Yet, the damage was done. A Blizzard had begun, and it wasn't going to stop any time soon—not with the ice-type Pokémon encouraging it even as she backed away. Her Icy Wind prior had done its toll, too, and Leon could only see ripples from where Cassandra had gone through the ice.

She hadn't come back up yet. There was a lot of blood on the snow.

"Take him," he told the Tyranitar, handing over Boltund. It wasn't the easiest thing with smaller arms, but he managed. "Get Lapras down there as soon as you can!"

Before any of the Pokémon could give him a questioning growl, he trudged back a few paces, and then sprinted off with a leap, diving down into the waters below. The freezing temperature almost made him lose all the air he held. He kept it together—just barely—and swam downward. Even with it being daytime, he could barely see. Still, he swiped with his arms and kicked with his legs, looking everywhere—there! He found her, slowly sinking further away. Bubbles slipped out little by little, as did blood from her side. He pumped his legs harder, fighting against the sharp cold. His body wanted to stop and turn around, but he forced himself to reach.

His fingers found cloth and he pulled her to him. He looked to the surface, and with the first stroke he realized how heavy they felt now. It was suddenly that much colder, too. Going down had been so easy compared to going up, and he was running out of air.

Another body slammed down into the water through the ice, and for a moment, he panicked. However, it turned to relief when he realized it was Lapras, zipping towards them with ease. He grasped hold of her shell spikes as soon as she was close and she tore to the surface, breaching with no trouble at all. He gasped for air, panting and shivering as he pulled Cassandra on better, rolling her to her back. The freezing wind that hit them brought out another gasp as he leaned over her.

He tapped tap and cupped her face, "'Cas? Cassandra! _'_ _Cas_ _!_ "

She wasn't breathing. Leon cursed, panic taking hold, but then sense found him again. Quickly, he intertwined his fingers and began to push down rapidly on her chest enough times he lost count and then pressed his lips to hers to breathe in air. The first time didn't work, causing desperation to join panic, but he kept at it, praying to Arceus she would cough up the water. By the third go dread was setting in strong, and it was only her sudden jerk, cough, and vomiting that let some relief through. It didn't last long, though; despite returning to life she was barely conscious as she hacked up the rest of the water. She was deathly cold and still bleeding—he could see red dribbling off with the water. She needed that wound treated, and she desperately needed to get warm. _Now_. He did, too, else they risked hypothermia.

Howls and calls come from above. Arcanine was trying to work his way down while the others were stuck up higher up besides his Charizard, whom descended to hover close. They wouldn't be able to get down, but neither could Lapras get up. Thankfully, Cassandra's pokéballs had remained on her belt, and the distance wasn't too far, so, with some work, he managed to get them all back safely inside including her injured pair. He left Lapras out to take them to shore where, stiffly he got himself and Cassandra to dry land, practically slumped on his shoulder, and then returned the water-type. He looked to his fire-type, who rumbled uneasily.

"D-do you kn-now the way bb-back—c-can you fly us-s-s?" he asked, but his Pokémon gave no sign of confidence. He cursed and brought Arcanine back out, whom whined and nuzzled his trainer wearily. Even half-conscious, she reached out to him, but it was a struggle.

"Arcanine, you k-know t-the w-way-y?" he asked, shivering worse now as the wind blasted and howled. The Pokémon nodded and laid down so he could lift Cassandra up. She fell forward, but he caught and steadied her long enough to slip on himself. Arcanine's body was a warmth they desperately needed, but it wouldn't be enough to save them. He pulled the redhead close, wrapping an arm around her firmly while he grasped the collar hidden within the mane as tightly as he could. "H-hurry—we're r-r-r-running out of t-t-time. Chariz-zard, f-follow c-c-close! K-keep anyth-hing away f-from us-s-s!"

He didn't need to tell them twice. Arcanine shot off, forcing Leon to press them both into the soft fur. Ultimately, he didn't mind as it helped to buffer the wind and give them more warmth. Cassandra was so still, though, that he worried each second meant she was that much closer to dying. He couldn't let that happen, though. He couldn't fail someone else, not after she'd saved him a second time. He couldn't let her down. He couldn't lose anyone else he cared about.

By some miracle, they reached the cave in what felt only moments after clambering up and over the mountains again. His body was terribly stiff when he slipped off, stumbling and falling onto the hard ground of the cave. He forced himself up as his knees throbbed and gently pulled Cassandra down, doing his best not to fall again.

"The f-f-f-ire," he croaked, and the Arcanine blasted a flame into the make-shift hearth, igniting the remaining wood at once. The Pokémon then barked, and to his surprised the pokéballs on her waste flared to life. All but the Boltund and Corviknight emerged, the two Pokémon still recovering. Arcanine settled down by the fire pit, ready to curl around them as he had before. Lucario helped bring them over, an arm around his trainer's back to shoulder the weight.

"W-wher-r-e?" she spoke, weakly, making his heart skip a beat.

"T-the c-c-cave. G-gotta-a... g-get... w-warm."

"C-clothes-ss.... B-body-y... h-he..a...t."

She was fading again, but he understood well enough. She was right, their clothes were practically frozen solid. If they wanted any hope of getting warm they had to get them off—like how she had for him before. The fire was an Arceus-sent gift for that, helping to ebb the cold in his hands so he could do even so much as grab a zipper or button. Arcanine was likewise helpful, blowing hot air from his mouth. To his surprise, his Charizard began to do the same, having somehow picked up the trick. It helped bring enough movement into his fingers and limbs that he was able to take off her jacket, albeit slowly. He paused, though, realizing he'd need to go further—and because of the wound. It had torn through the thick material and undershirt completely, and now he could see it was somewhat deep. The cold must have slowed the blood flow, but she needed treatment.

"Y-your... w-wound," he spoke, a little more steady now.

"P-p-pack. S-sup-plies."

She tried to gesture to her tent, but barely lifted her arm. He was in luck, though; her Pokémon were a step ahead, and the Lucario bounded over to grab the bigger backpack within and set it beside them. A few blankets were brought next by Tyranitar, whom rumbled uneasily. Lapras sat not far off, whining gently and singing a gentle tune, unsure how to help.

"G-get... c-clothes-s-s... c-c-cold-d," she croaked.

Leon hesitated, and admonished himself for it. She was technically the first woman he'd undressed, but he'd seen plenty of women in bathing suits or underwear for modeling shots. Sure, it was hardly the same situation, but he shouldn't be nervous about it. Still, he made a point to not look as he undid her trousers and boots, tugging them off as gently as he could. She had, to his embarrassment's relief, under armor briefs meant for the cold and not plain underwear. He eased her long-sleeved shirt off next, again careful not to stare, even if she was wearing a sports bra. He could see the full state of the wound now, though, and hated how far along her side it went, reaching from almost her belly button to her hip. It would scar he imagined, but he supposed she was used to it—based off the others he could see on her pale, freckled skin. He couldn't help noticing she worked out, too; her muscles well-defined.

He pushed such notions aside, though, as he quickly went through the pack, finding a cotton cloth to use with alcohol to clean, and then wrap to use as bandages. Truthfully, she needed stitches—and a proper doctor to look at her, but they were in no condition to move, especially when the blizzard had become worse. He would have to do what he could, which wasn't much. He had never been great at First Aid and hated himself for never learning better.

"Lapras, I n-n-eed a gentle Wat-ter G-gun t-to clean," he spoke, relieved he was warm enough to talk mostly proper and use his hands, although his body still shivered from his own frozen clothes. The Pokémon complied, shuffling closer, and spewed a gentle stream that helped wash the blood off. He wiped with the alcohol next, which made her squirm, much to his dismay. She grasped hold of his pant leg, whimpering before briefly passing out. That made his heart skip a beat. She came back with a groan, though, and he placed antibiotic ointments onto it along with a cloth and bandaged it as best he could.

It was shoddy work, but what else could he do?

Leon cursed as he finally removed his own jacket and top, sighing as he felt the heat of the fire on his shivering skin. He worked his pants off next, and, after another moment's hesitation, shifted himself and the redhead so they were both lying against Arcanine's fur with a blanket wrapped around as best he could. He brought her against his side, letting Cassandra's head rest on his shoulder. She was still ice-cold, and he was only marginally better. But that slowly changed as he felt hot air come from below and saw Arcanine had worked its snout beneath the blanket. Charizard, likewise, blew from the top, and he did feel better.

The others sat around them, uneasy and worried for their trainer. The love they had was enviable, and it was all too easy to see why they held such affection for her. She was a strong, honorable, and kind person. She'd faced danger for him, and gotten hurt because of his uselessness. He didn't deserve it and hated himself for dragging her into it.

"I'm sorry, 'C-Cas. This is all m-my fault," he whispered, pulling her a little closer.

"S'not... s'that... id...iot," she rumbled back, and he couldn't stop a half-grin. She was cracking wise even now. He wished he was that strong half the time.

"I led-d him h-here. R-remember? They're why I end-ded up how you f-found me."

"Might... m-might w-wanna... e-explain."

His gaze fell, "It's... I d-don't know who they a-are exactly. B-but... Swordward... he approach-hed me, said he wanted t-to talk—wanted my h-help. I wasn't g-going to agree, n-not after Rose betrayed m-me, but... he said it involved Zacian and Zama-z-zenta. The ones Gloria and H-hop summoned for Et-ternatus. I knew I h-had to hear it. See what was g-going on."

"H-he wants-s t-to c-control the-em?"

"I think s-so? He talked about... being rulers—him and his b-brother. About descendant of the k-king of old. How the Legendary Pokémon s-stole their glory. Said S-sonia's book was... wrong. He wanted me t-to lead them t-to the sword and shield that summoned them. He t-told me it was to show the world the t-truth. He said I was w-worthy of being _t-their_ Champion and could re-reclaim my 'glory'."

She snorted, which eased his worries some, "P-p-pretenious-s d-dick."

"Yeah. S-said it different, b-but yeah. I refused. He got p-pissed. D-demanded I submit. Told me I would regret if I d-didn't. That they'd f-find the relics without me. I only had Chariz-zard—left the others in my apartment... in the Tower. Chariz-zard couldn't stop them all at-t once. They attacked us b-both, so we fled—right into the s-storm. I was t-trying to get to Hop. They got to him f-first. Or so he s-says."

"W-we'll save h-him e-eitther w-way. Once—once we're w-warm. N-need... to stay... awak-ke."

"Okay. Yeah, okay. How ab-bout... how... why... why'd you... g-go and do that, huh?" he chuckled weakly, his guilty tightening in his chest again. "Risk yourself for me-e l-like that. That's—that's m-my job."

"Y-you done enough-h. Was m-my t-turn. I... I don't like... f-failing e-either," she replied slowly, and he felt her arm move downward. He glanced—mindful to avoid her torso—and saw her stroke Arcanine's snout. The warmth paused briefly as he whined and licked her hand. "G-good boy. Good b-boy. S-sorry I w-worried... y-you."

"You raised them... well. Even—even Charizard's learning," he chuckled, reaching over touch his Pokémon's snout just outside the blanket. His fire-type rumbled softly, nuzzling his trainer's hand. "Yeah, I'm... feeling b-better."

"S-so... l-looks like... y-you... like... w-we're... e-even... n-now."

He frowned, "Huh?"

"Y-you g-got t-t-to und-dress-s m-me t-this... ti-time," she half-grinned. He could feel her shaking and worked his arm a bit closer around, chin settling on the top of her head.

His cheeks were warm, "D-don't say stupid stuff like t-that."

"W-what? F-first g-girl y-you t-took the p-pants off-f-f of?"

"Y-yes, if you must know... Not s-sure you need me a-anymore, though... cracking j-jokes... like that."

"I-I lik-ke to s-see y-you smile. Y-you've... been t-through enough."

"And... you... haven't?" he asked, pulling back to look at her, but her gaze was set downward. He brought her chin back to look at him. "You... failed, too... right? What... was it?"

She didn't answer for a time, worrying him, but then let out a shaky sigh, "A-a... f-f-few things. S-sinnoh... f-f-first. T-tried... stop... stop b-bad guy. Cy... Cyrus-s...W-wanted... t-to d-destroy w-world. B-become G-god... w-with... P-Pokémon. O-opened hole t-to other d-dimension E-ended up... b-badly h-hurting h-him... l-left him t-there. C-couldn't... s-stop him. C-couldn't...m-make him c-change. H-had before w-with... others. B-but... n-not... him. H-had to... s-stop him. P-pretty s-sure.... H-he died."

Memories flickered in the flames before them.

_A dark, twisted dimension full of chaos and danger. A dark, Legendary creature watching them , awaiting the end. An older man, his hair a vibrant blue, and cruel, soulless, dead eyes. He'd been beaten. Bested. But his anger fueled him. He refused to stop; refused to yield. He kept trying to hurt her_ — _to stop her from "defiling" his perfect world. His hands reached for her neck._

_She'd shoved him away, and he fell onto a shrapnel of the strange world they've entered. He couldn't move. He coughed blood._

_The Pokemon shrieked, red eyes searing into her. The dimension was closing._

_She ran._

Leon's voice brought her back, "Sounds... like he... deserved... it."

"M-maybe. B-but... The o-others... R-rocket... S-silver... S-stopped them... D-din't... h-hurt them."

"You... punched... Silver."

She weakly smacked his chest, "N-not same. B-but-t-t. F-face."

"You just... call me... buttface?" he laughed as he felt relief. It finally hit him how much she was talking. She was feeling better, he hoped—prayed. Surely talking after almost passing out was good?

"Y-yes," she chuckled.

"W-weirdo," he snickered, pausing for a moment. "A...and the other?"

Cassandra went quiet again—this time, for so much longer Leon worried she had passed out once more, this time for good. He called out to her softly, at which point she shifted and he could see her eyes were open. She was collecting her thoughts, and his own mind couldn't help finally noticing the feeling of her against him. She wasn't as cold now—she shivered less, too—but even then, the remaining coolness wasn't bothersome. Rather, he enjoyed it, holding her like this. It was strange; he'd held others before, and in certainly more comfortable situations, but not like this. The craziest thing was that it wasn't entirely intimate, or, rather, the situation wasn't. It was a struggle to survive; to keep warm, and yet in a weird, selfish way he was glad for it to give him this moment of closeness.

He shoved the thought back when she finally sighed and spoke.

"In... Unov-va..."

"You d-did Champion work-k... there, too, right?"

"N-no... I... I-I'm not--not a C-champion. I-I d-didn't... f-finish. I l-left b-before."

"W-what? How c-come? You... won... so many..."

"I...," she started, again pausing. When he looked down again, he saw a pain in her hazel eyes. He meant to say something, but she spoke up once more, "I... f-f-failed... my-y f-f-r-reind. He... he was... a g-good.... P-person. Want-ted... b-best f-for... P-Pokémon."

He looked to the fire, "What... happened?"

"I.... c-c-couldn't... h-he...," she croaked out, no longer just shaking from the cold. He brought his other hand up to grasp her shoulder.

"You d-don't have to... t-tell me... right now."

"S-sorry... I-I... j-j-just... I'd... n-never... f-failed... l-like t-that... I..."

"That's... why y-you didn't-t... finish? B-beat Champion?"

She deflated against him some, "Y-yeah... I... r-ran. C-couldn't... f-face it. Like... c-coward."

"I'd... say y-you're... hardly.. c-coward. You j-just risked... your life... f-for me."

"N-no... I-I... am... w-was. S-still a-am. B-been h-hiding aw-way here... r-running f-from... all."

Leon frowned, trying to understand. She was running from failure, and it brought her out here? He had been running from his own guilt, so he got it in a way, but it was still so strange. What would have driven her to such lengths to be out _here_ , and yet give her all to help him? She was like an enigma, and it made him admire her and pity her more all at the same time.

"What... happened... to him? The... f-friend?" he asked softly.

"H-he..." she started, shutting her eyes. Leon looked down when she trailed off, her hands clenching against his chest. Her eyes were squeezed tight, and she shook again. He pressed his face into her hair, wishing he could comfort her more than this.

"You... don't have to t-tell me," he spoke gently, rubbing her back. When she didn't respond he wondered if maybe she'd dozed off, but then she sighed.

"S-sorry."

"It's fine. I didn't tell you... the truth, either..."

"Y-you have... n-now."

"Not the... same. S-so don't... worry. Gotta... focus on... getting warm now. Gotta... stop... that guy. The other one, too."

"H-he... p-probs... stuck, t-too. I-if not... f-frozen."

He chuckled, "If only... but he's... definitely... stuck. L-like us. B-but we... gotta leave... soon as we can."

"Y-yeah. O-once s-storm eases... warm... up," she nodded, pausing to shift and look up at Charizard. Weakly, she reached up and touched his nose, making him pause. "Y-you... stop—for n-now. S-save i-it to t-take over... f-for Arc. C-Can't k-keep it... g-going too... too long."

"S-she's right. You stick... stick close, but... wait on... breath," Leon added, smiling up at his Pokémon, whom rumbled uncertainly, but ultimately nodded.

Cassandra looked to her other Pokémon, worry clear in their features, "It'll... b-be okay. J-just... watch o-over, alright-t?"

A round of meek rumbles, barks, and chirps were the response. Tyranitar was the only one to actually move, placing himself close to the entrance. She could just make him out between everything, and saw his shoulders tensed, tail lifted slightly. He was agitated, no doubt blaming himself. He took after her probably the most, which was ironic considering he'd disliked her when they first met, if only out of stubbornness and pride. He would no doubt stand there until she was better.

She hated admitting she wasn't sure if she would.

Despite the first-aid Leon had given, her body hurt. Talking was only a means of distracting herself, but she was in pain. Breathing thankfully didn't make it worse besides a burn in her lungs from the cold, but any big movement did, and she wasn't sure the bleeding had stopped. She was still so cold, too, and prayed it wasn't because of the blood loss.

"Don't... l-let me... f-fall asleep, L-leon," she called out, almost a whisper.

"I won't. P-promise. Are you... okay?"

"N-not... really. I'm c-cramping some," she replied, which wasn't a lie. It was a tad uncomfortable how they were, although the proximity was welcoming.

"Ok-kay, hold on," he mumbled, easing her forward gently—he silently cursed when she hissed in pain—and shifted so he was the one lying directly back against Arcanine's fur. He nudged her a little so he could slip his legs around either side of hers and then eased her back to she was lying against his chest. His elbows moved to the top of his knees so he could grasp the blanket and bring it close to her neck. "Better?"

"Y-yeah. Just...D-don't... g-get... too... too excit-ted," she chuckled, and he laughed as warmth filled his cheeks.

"That's my l-line. Not-t just anyone g-gets to cuddle half nak-ked with an ex-Champion."

"I'm h-honored t-to be... f-first," she chuckled, and, after a pause added, "I-I guessed right. Y-your c-chest fe-els nice t-too."

Leon's cheeks flared again and he groaned, "C-can't you at least act hurt-t!?"

"N-never. Just... just start t-talking 'bout... s-something else. K-keep awake."

"Right. Well, then... let's.. t-tell me more... about your home—Johto," he offered, and, to his relief, she did.

She told him of its warm, mountainous climate where storms could roll in from the shore and then die just as quick; she described the thick forests that ran between towns, and the stretch of land across the bay where one of the gyms resided. She went in length of the great Mt. Silver, where she'd faced the strongest Pokémon in her journey, and where her Tyranitar found his former colony, but chose to stay with the team. She spoke of ancient legends come to life, which he once would have scoffed at but now believed. She mentioned Kanto, too, her sister-region, which was much the same, though had a less "traditional" feel.

By then his head began to droop every so often. He didn't mean to, and he wanted to blame the warmth that had filled the blanket and soothed his body. The cold had long passed by the time Charizard began his round of "heated breath" and both he and Cassandra's speech had improved, though still reflected their exhaustion. Her even more so, and he urged himself to stay awake as she mentioned how she had to deal with an obnoxious Snorlax blocking her way once, although he didn't recalling her saying where exactly. By then he vaguely thought she'd stopped talking, but he couldn't be sure nor keep his eyes from closing.

Last he was certain of was noting how her lovely red hair had a beautiful, golden glow in the flame light.

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Leon woke with a start, visibly jerking, and flinched again when he found two snouts in his face, one wet and the other scaly. Arcanine and Charizard. They had been making noises at him, but now that he was awake, they pulled back and returned to muffled rumbles. He quickly glanced around, regaining his bearings, and recalled the woman in his arms. She felt much warmer now, but she was quiet—she'd fallen asleep, too. He cursed, having broken his promise, but it was hard not to. They had been drained after the battle and brush with death. He sighed, closing his eyes, lingering a bit longer. He relished in her against him, as pathetic of him as it was, but he wanted to keep her there; wanted to feel like he was keeping her safe, even if he couldn't. And that _was_ pathetic of him. What man couldn't protect the woman who'd saved him not only once, but twice? She'd gotten hurt because of him, and now he couldn't even stay awake for her.

Some man he was. Worse still, some _friend._

"Hey, 'Cas," he nudged gently, but she didn't answer. He nudged again, "'Cas?"

Nothing.

Worry hit hard as he turned her and realized she was sweating—a lot more than she should have been. Her breathing was ragged, too, and when he touched her brow, it was scalding hot. He cursed. She had a fever, and he had a good idea why. He shrugged off the blanket to lay her down flat. Thankfully, the cave was now warm thanks to the fire and the work of Charizard and Arcanine, who looked a bit weary themselves, but a lot better than their trainers. He grimaced at the sight of dark stains that had seeped through the bandages. The bleeding hadn't stopped, and when he peeled them back he could tell the skin looked wrong. He didn't see puss, but it didn't look how it should.

"We can't wait," he breathed, looking to the entrance. The blizzard hadn't stopped, but it wasn't nearly as bad as before or when he'd gotten lost. Still, it wasn't something he wanted to try and contend against again—not when he'd nearly died before. But Cassandra didn't have time. He looked to where he'd tossed their attire, but the garments were gone. "Our clothes?"

Lucario barked, walking over to where they'd been laid out on Lapras shell again. They had been dried, like when he'd first arrived here. He was endlessly grateful as he worked to dress her as carefully as he could, which wasn't easy where the wound was. She whimpered, which was like a stab to the heart. He got it done, though, and quickly dressed. He wrapped her belt around his waist and turned to all the Pokémon. Boltund and Corviknight had elected to remain in their balls, leaving the four and his Charizard.

"We can't stay. She's needs proper medical help. You'll all need to go back in your balls, and we'll leave everything here. Charizard... we have to go through the blizzard. She'll die if we don't. I... we need to get to someone who can help—a hospital or something. I'm not sure where's closest, but someplace _safe_ and with people we can trust completely. I know it's a lot to carry, both me and her, but..." he began, and the only response he got from his Pokémon was a flare of its wings and a confident snarl. A spurt of flame for good measure was added, and then the lizard sauntered to the entrance and lowered down, giving room to have passengers.

"Thank-you, my friend. Now, all of you, let's go. I'm not your trainer, but I promise I'll do everything I can to take care of you and her," he went on, and, seeing no protest, returned them all to their pokéballs. Hooking them in place, he crouched down to wrap Cassandra in a blanket and lift her into his arms. She groaned, so he did his best to gently set her in place on Charizard's back. He lamented his Pokémon wasn't as large as the others of his kind as she'd described, even if he was taller than him still. His weight had never slowed his friend down before, but now there were two of them, and they were fighting a blizzard. Still, his fire-type did not waver as he clambered on, making sure the young woman was held close to him while he grasped a loose patch of skin near the base of the neck with his free hand.

It was going to be an awkward take off, but his Charizard never backed down from a challenge. Despite the wind and the cold and the thick snow, the lizard-like Pokémon took off at a lumbering run. He must have sensed the wind right, for it suddenly blasted them from behind and Charizard lifted with a leap. The blizzard hit hard, and it was only the jacket and hat Leon wore that protected his back from feeling the brunt of it. The air nipped his legs and fingers and cheeks, though, and he was only so glad he was shielding Cassandra from most of it. He kept his head low to keep an eye on her. After all, even if the snow wasn't blinding, he would be of no help. He was pants with direction, as his brother would say.

"Fly fast and true, Charizard. I'm counting on you, bud," he murmured, his worst lost to the wind, but he knew his Pokémon understood. 

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**TMWolf:** _The fluff is real guys, and so is the guilty pleasure. Too bad they were both semi-dying. Cas more so. Hopefully she survives... otherwise this story is gonna be over pretty quick ¯\\_(ツ)_/_ ¯


	7. Haven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right let's see if Cas lives :D By the way, you can find art of Cassandra and Leon on my tumblr/instagram/twitter/DA all under the same username or close variation with (i.e. if not just TMWolf then TMWolf93)

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Leon couldn't tell if it had been hours or minutes. It should have been an hour flight at most to the nearest city, but the howling wind and the bone-chilling cold made it hard to tell. Charizard cut through it well enough, but it wasn't his top speed. Still, his Pokémon pushed with all his might, and just as Leon thought his hands would freeze solid and lop off, the winds finally ebbed and the snow fell gently. The chill had lessened, and he could move his digits again. Cassandra was no different from before, or was she worse? He couldn't quite remember, all his strength and focus on keeping his grip on Charizard. It was a bit easier knowing the air would get warmer—to an extent. It was winter in Galar, after all. He would hold on for her, though. He had to.

"Keep going!" he bellowed, and his Pokémon responded at once, flapping its wings hard, and thrusting faster.

Familiar terrain passed below, and he knew they'd reached the southern Wild Area. When they'd gone by Hammerlock, the northern Wilds, and even Motostoke he had no idea. He thought of chastising the Pokémon for taking them past the large cities which hosted excellent hospitals, but then thought better of it. Charizard wouldn't have done it without reason, and based of their trajectory, he was heading further south—to Postwick. Home.

Leon managed to grin, realizing what his partner was thinking. Home had always been a safe place, and one of the people he could trust with certainty and with his life was there.

Sonia.

Charizard was taking him to Sonia.

He'd never doubt his Pokémon again.

Although, if what Swordward said was true, his enemy had been there, too. Hop was staying at home working as an assistant to Sonia these days, now that she was an official professor. That could mean they knew he'd go back home— _if_ they got his brother. It was hard to say, truth be told. He recalled Hop had said he was going to come try out the Tower at some point not too long ago. Could he possibly have been in Wyndon then, and still be okay? Regardless, they couldn't afford to go back now. They were almost to the lab, and he didn't want to waste more time—not when Cassandra could fade away at any moment. He still needed to avoid being seen, though.

A thought struck him then, and he pressed his hand into Charizard's neck. The lizard slowed his speed, turning his head to growl in question.

"Land not too far from Sonia's lab. We need to go in without flying. If... if that man and his brother or if he has any allies that are around... they might be there. They might have Hop, so..." he grimaced, and his Pokémon nodded. The orange-colored flier veered off to the left, skirting around by the forests outside Postwick and touched down within the cover of the trees. The air was decidedly warmer, enough so he'd consider taking off his jacket, but not now. He pulled out a pokéball and released Arcanine. "Good job, Charizard. Try and stick to the ground for now and meet us at the lab."

The lizard Pokémon didn't like it, grumbling in response, but Leon had already moved over to Arcanine, whom crouched down. The young man hefted the young woman up and them himself over, grabbing the charcoal collar in one hand while wrapping the other arm around Cassandra's waist to steady her.

"Head straight that way but stop before the town. I'll direct you to the lab. My friend Sonia is there and can help. Hurry!" he commanded and didn't need to say it twice. The fire-type shot off at high speeds, leaving Charizard behind, though was careful to avoid limbs that might hurt the trainers. Leon kept his head low just in case, but found it was only perhaps a minute before the Pokémon skidded to a halt and barked. They were already at the edge of the woods. He scanned quickly and pointed to a building. "There! Quick, around the back."

Arcanine rushed over, leaping over a tall shrub and lowering down immediately. Leon slid off, pausing only to gently lift Cassandra in his arms, and kicked the back door in place of knocking. He was grateful for the high hedges of the backyard, though it didn't stop his panic from rising with each second that passed and the door didn't open. He contemplated breaking it down when the lock clicked and opened, revealing his childhood friend in her lab attire. Her eyes were red, and puffy—like she hadn't slept well or been crying. They began to water at the sight of him, her gasp covered by her hand.

" _Leon!_ You're alive—!"

"Cassandra needs help! She's dying!" he shouted back, pushing through. Sonia stepped aside, confused as she looked between her friend and the Arcanine that stepped closer. She glanced to the woman in Leon's arms, and finally noticed the red stains on their clothing.

She gasped again, "Oh my Arceus—quickly, in here! The lab table, it's sterilized!"

He hoofed it over, setting the injured redhead down, "She was cut with a sword—it's bad. She's been bleeding for a while and she fell in freezing water. I got her warm, but she has a fever and—and we need a nurse or a doctor. _Now_."

"I—we—you need to take her to the—."

"No! There's people after us. Or—or some _one_ is after us—the guy who did this. I don't know if they followed, but I can't risk being seen. Sonia, _please_."

The young professor bit her lip, thinking. The Arcanine, once outside, now appeared on the other side of the table, whining as he set his head next to his trainer. He nuzzled the woman, calling out with soft barks. Sonia stepped forward and lifted the tattered side of her shirt. She winced at the reddened flesh and seeping blood. It was _bad_. She couldn't tend to that kind of wound. Her expertise was Pokémon history and Galarian particles, not medical aid!

"I—okay. I think... I think I can call in a favor. You get the First Aid kit there and put new bandages—to help stop the blood," she explained, motioning, and pulled out her Rotom phone. She punched in a number, and with the phone to her ear, Sonia watched Leon, her friend who had been missing for _days_. Not a single trace had been found of him besides a secluded area in Wyndon City where a battle had taken place. Witnesses swore they saw him and his Chaizard go that way, but there was nothing. No bodies. No Pokémon. No cameras got a good view. Just blood stains and damage to the brick and steel and pavement. He'd been presumed dead. Now here he was. _Alive_. And he came back with an Arcanine and some strange woman bleeding half to death with him—one he cared enough about to look so worried he might just collapse himself. 

What in Arceus' name had happened?

 _"_ _Postwick_ _Pokémon center, Nurse Joy speaking."_

"Joy, I need to call in on that favor you owe me. You have to keep it _secret_ , but I need a house call. For a human."

The line was quiet for a moment.

_"I understand. One Pokémon house call coming right up. We'll be there in just a moment. Please stand by and provide what First Aid you can until we arrive. Just hold on."_

She hung up just as the young man got to work, "Joy is coming. Here, I'll help."

"Thank-you, Sonia. _Thank-you_ ," he breathed, trying hard to do what he can, but she could see his hands were shaking. His eyes wavered in a way she hadn't seen before, too. She touched his arm, pulling his gaze to her.

"Go sit down, 'Lee. I'll do this. And go... go get something to eat and rest."

"I... Okay. She... her Pokémon and Charizard—they need food, too. He's on the way. I told him to walk to be careful, but I have her Pokémon here and—"

"—I have plenty, get them taken care of," she motioned to her kitchen area and got to work. She spoke again a moment later, though, "Leon?"

"Yeah?" he asked as he urged Arcanine to rise, but the Pokémon refused.

"When... when she's alright... _please_ tell me what's going on?"

"I... I will."

"And..." she added, and the silence was deafening, "Leon... Hop is..."

Sonia didn't need to finish for him to know his greatest fear was true.

His shoulders deflated, and despair trickled in, "They took him. I know. Gloria, too."

Her friend turned away then, heading to her kitchen, and she couldn't recall a time her chest tightened so much. Even so, she kept her hand steady to help the woman dying on her table.

\-------------

Nurse Joy arrived with a Indeedee just as Leon had begun to dish out food to Cassandra's fretting Pokémon—and also Chaizard, who had finally lumbered. Her team paused to watch, rumbling uncertainly, but he reassured them it would be fine, even if he wasn't sure himself. He followed the nurse, of course, and it was a good thing he did; Arcanine refused to move despite everyone's urging, so it was up to him to get the fire-type away. It wasn't easy—the Pokémon's love had been forged over many years, and both Arcanine and Growlithe were renowned for being the most fiercely loyal Pokémon out there. It took a firm promise from Leon that Cassandra was in good hands—and that the fire-type needed to eat. An empty stomach was hard to ignore, although the purple-haired man was sure this Arcanine would endure the pain if it meant protecting his trainer. This time, though, he relented, but kept as close as was allowed while he ate, gaze never wavering.

Leon made his own attempt to help, but Sonia urged him to stay back. He wouldn't be of much use as he was, if only for his mental state, and told him once again to go eat. He relented, too tired to argue, and resigned himself to the small dinner table in the back of the lab, unable to watch as vigilantly as Arcanine. Seeing Cassandra hurt and all the blood was too much to bare, so he forced himself to eat what little curry he could stand despite feeling starved. He was exhausted, too, even after sleeping however long in the cave. He also still felt cold. He wouldn't be surprised if he was frost bitten some, but it mattered little compared to the danger Cassandra was in. His stomach clenched so tightly at the memory of her in the water and the cave and on the table he thought he might vomit. If only he had been stronger then maybe she would be laughing and smiling like before. If he had just been better, then she wouldn't be dying. She would be okay—and his brother and Gloria might have been okay, too. 

Arceus, help him, Hop. Gloria. 

They really were taken. It hadn't been an empty threat. So now he had to face that reality—that failure. He had been able to put it off before, but now that he was alone, Cassandra's life in other hands, and able to think, he could no longer deny it. Hop, his precious little brother who had finally grown into a fine young man after starting his journey with his endorsement. And Gloria, too, the one he'd help make into a Champion and still taught her to this day. Both his responsibility. Both taken by the same man who had hurt both himself and the redhead. 

Swordward.

He had a brother, and both were trying to subjugate Galar under their rule, claiming to be kings? It was madness. Galar hadn't had even a single king for centuries. The fallout with royalty happened ages ago, and a governing body was set in place until the League had eventually taken over to establish something proper some decades prior to today. There were no more kings, so why? And why now? How had they gone unnoticed? And what about Rose? The man had mentioned that bastard. Were they behind Eternatus as well? What had been their intentions there?

Leon hated not being a clever person. He was an ace when it came to Pokémon and battles, but all these secrets? These master plans? He couldn't wrap his mind around it. And now it was even more complicated with more people in trouble.

Maybe he should have just gone along with them in the first place—then only _he'd_ be in harm's way. It would have been smarter, too, wouldn't it? To pretend to be allies, learn their plans, and _then_ fight back? He was an idiot. Cassandra never should have had to deal with him—should never have gotten _hurt_ because of him.

"Leon?"

The young man jumped, eyes shooting to the ginger-haired young woman in the doorway. Her lab coat was in her arms, stained with red splotches. Her shoulders sagged some, and he wondered how long had passed.

"Is she...?" he dared to breathe; hands clenched under the table.

Sonia sighed as she came to sit in the chair to his left, noting his barely-eaten food, "She's stable, but needs to rest. She lost quite a bit of blood. We're lucky she doesn't need a transfusion, but Joy gave her antibiotics and supplements for the fever. The lab thankfully has equipment set up to treat Pokémon in an emergency. Not quite the same, but an IV works either way."

"Thank Arceus," he groaned, slumping in the chair and closing his eyes.

"Leon," she spoke again, and he looked once more, "What... what happened? Who is she? And where have you _been_? It's been _days_! Everyone thought you were—"

She couldn't bring herself to say it.

"I almost was," he replied, gaze falling to the curry. "Cassandra—that's her name. She saved me. Up in the mountains near Wyndon. She was doing Pokémon research. You might know her? She said she shared notes with your grandmother."

Sonia frowned, "'Cassandra'? I... it does sound familiar, but... she was way up _there_? It's considered more dangerous than the Wild Areas."

"It is, but her team—they're strong. She's from Johto, and beaten more than a few Champions, though she never tried here. Whatever the case, I'm grateful she was there. If she hadn't... I... I was badly injured you see. I... Sonia," he paused, looking to her again, "Do you know who took Hop? What they called themselves? Looked like?"

"Yes, I was here when they came. It was a man—he wore a red suit and cloak and had some strange ornament on his hip—like a shield. He talked like he was some celebrity or royalty, calling himself a _king_."

"Yeah. That's them. _One_ of them. He has a brother who attacked me—and 'Cas. He used a sword. It's how she got hurt like that," he grimaced, unable to add "because of me".

"They were after you?" Sonia murmured, already thinking. She'd always been smart—always had a plan. Even on their Gym Challenge journey so long ago, she'd always known what to do; what the best course of action was. And now she was a Professor, exactly as she deserved. If anyone could figure it out, she could. She frowned, "They kept demanding Hop show them where the relics are. I assumed it was Zamazenta and Zacian's sword and shield. They threatened him, but he refused, of course. But then they said they got Gloria. I... I couldn't believe it, but... they showed video. They'd taken her Pokémon and had her bound. I don't know where."

Leon felt his blood run cold, "Do they have Eternatus?"

"No, they mentioned she didn't, but they're looking for it. They don't know she keeps it back at the Power Station, in a new room to contain its power. It calmed down a lot when she caught it, but..."

"Then they shouldn't be able to get to it easily. Good. Rose is still in prison?"

"Er—yes. Why?" she inquired back, frowning.

"He was in on their plans," he explained, and nodded grimly when she balked. "Yeah. They said he was working with them—that releasing Eternatus was apart of it. I... I believe them. I think. Or they were at least working together in some way. I don't know if Rose was involved with Zacian or Zamazenta, though."

Sonia hummed thoughtfully, "True, he didn't seem to know about them, and his goal was always about the energy crisis.... The officers from the League never found anything, either. I was actually allowed to go through his notes about Eternatus, but there were no mentions of these two guys proclaiming to be 'kings'. He didn't know about the two legendary Pokémon, either, like you said. Not that I could tell, anyways."

"So... he wasn't... directly involved."

"Not from what I can see, but he's in prison now. And there's been no word they broke him out."

"They don't need him then. They need... me. And Hop. And Gloria."

"But why?"

"They want to use me to convince the people, I think? Based off what Swordward said to me the first time, anyways. And then maybe to help contain Eternatus or something? I don't know," Leon sighed with exasperation. "They wanted me to give them the Sword and Shield, too. They tried to use Hop to threaten me."

"Wait—you went missing _before_ Hop was taken."

"Swordward approached me the day I went missing. In Wyndon. That was the first time. He found me out walking with Charizard and asked to speak with me alone, so I did. He wanted me to help him show Galar their true kings and needed my power to do it. I refused, called him crazy, and he attacked me. Charizard couldn't hold all of his Pokémon off at once so we fled... only, there was a blizzard, and we collapsed. Cassandra found and saved us.

He sighed again, "Charizard was hurt bad so we couldn't leave until his wings healed, but by that day... the bastard found me. Somehow. He attacked, threatened to use Hop, but Cassandra and her Pokémon fought back. She beat him, but... she let her guard down and he slashed her side. I did what I could to help, but it wasn't enough. So Charizard and I braved the blizzard raging at the time and somehow made it back here."

"Arceus help us. These guys are _insane_. And..."

"...'And'?" he pressed, throat tightening some.

She bit her lip, gaze falling then meeting his again, "I don't think they're working alone."

"What... do you mean?"

"Hop didn't just surrender because of Gloria. When the those two wackos came, it wasn't _just_ them. They brought people— _ordinary-looking_ people—who all had Pokémon and threatened to fight. Even with Hop's team so strong now, there was no way we could manage."

"What? But... _how_? They're awful people! And we haven't had kings for _centuries_."

"I don't know. This is... I don't know enough to be sure of _anything_. Maybe grandma does, I'm not sure, but... this means we have to be careful, Leon. We can't just move around. We don't know who we can trust. Our _neighbors_ could be with these two nut cases. I don't even dare try to contact the League. Who knows if they're in cahoots with them."

"So, who _can_ we trust?"

"Well, you, me, Joy out there. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure those guys would be here by now. Grandma... the Gym Leaders for sure, none of them would be okay with this. Otherwise... I'm not sure. Your new friend, I guess. She's from Johto so she wouldn't know anything about this."

"Yeah... we should probably start contacting them, form some kind of plan... Raihan first. We need to let him know they want Eternatus so he can make sure nothing happens."

Sonia nodded, "I can do that—you don't exactly look like you have a phone right now, anyways."

He chuckled, "No, I left it in my apartment... along with my Pokémon. Thank Arceus I left them with the Battle Tower care service, otherwise they'd want to strangle me right now."

"I don't think this is the time to be joking," Sonia sighed, frowning his way. "We need to get them back, but... they'll expect it. We need to figure out a plan, so we'll have to wait then. We'll contact Raihan first to get things going going but wait to start building our own plan. You look half-dead, anyways. You need to sleep and eat and recover your strength."

"Yeah, I guess I do," Leon chuckled weakly. His head fell as he spoke softer now, "Do you think Hop is alright?"

Sonia reached over to grasp his hand, squeezing, "Yeah. They need him. He'll be fine. He's a tough kid, too—takes after his big brother. He even might have escaped already. So just go rest up, and I'll take care of everything else."

"Thanks, Sonia," he managed a weak smile back, and, after a time, she finally left him be. He contemplated eating as she said, but, in the end, he abandoned it to find his way to the couch nearby and collapse. 

\-----------------------------


	8. Vulnerable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for some good 'ol bonding. Breaking down walls

\----------------------------------

Cassandra woke up slowly, confused by her surroundings. A warm building, low ceiling, and a bed underneath were not things she expected to find when she came back to consciousness. She _felt_ infinitely better than she had when she passed out, but how? Turning her head to the left, she found Arcanine staring, and now that she had woken up he stood, whining, and began to lick and nuzzle her. Her other Pokémon in the room ventured closer as well, with only Lapras and Tyranitar missing. She wasn't surprised. They were large, but Boltund, Lucario, and Corviknight were able to hop onto or be beside the bed and fuss over her, whining and crowing, and chirping. She managed to bring her arm up to give each attention, although that alone was tiring. However, her side didn't hurt so much anymore, and when she touched and then looked, she found a well-tied bandage.

Leon definitely didn't do that.

Speaking of—where was he? And where was here?

"Glad you're alright," she mumbled to her Pokémon. At the very least, their being okay meant this was a safe place. Leon must have brought her here—had he braved the storm then? Was he alright? And what about that man? Swordward. Bastard. She hoped he'd frozen to death, but she didn't dare believe it. It would be too easy. Not to mention the Braviary would have come out of its paralysis by then, and it wasn't hurt enough that it couldn't fly. The man might have some broken bones and a nice scar since she doubt Alpha had killed him—that'd be too easy, too.

Shame.

"Mind getting Leon?" she spoke up, and her Lucario nodded, racing out quickly. She heard the echoes of barks and excited sounds. Her fighter appeared again in a few seconds, and a familiar face was right behind him. She managed a small smile as the purple-haired man practically slid beside the bed, taking a seat in the chair she just now noticed. Had he been sitting there before? She could believe it, and, it might have been silly, but the thought made her happy. She reached out with her hand, which he took, "Hey, you."

"Hey to you, too," he chuckled, his voice choking some. "You're finally up. How do you feel?"

"I've been better," she groaned, and he laughed. "Where...?"

"Sonia's lab in Postwick. My hometown. We made it through the storm. She called in a favor from Nurse Joy, so we were able to patch you up. Thank Arceus you're okay. I was so worried that we'd lost you."

"Yeah, me, too. But we made it. You okay, though?"

There was pain in his chuckle, "Don't ask me that when _you're_ the one who almost died."

"Yeah, well, we're friends now, which means I'm gonna ask how you are—especially 'cause I know how you can be, too. That, and because I know there's still bad shit going on."

His silence said enough.

"Not okay. Okay," she half-sighed, half-groaned, still tired. "Is here safe?"

"Yeah. Neither Swordward or his brother have found us. Sonia is only letting trusted people know what's going on. We've told Raihan about things. Eternatus is under his care, so we have to make sure he's ready," he explained, but then added when she scrunched her brows, "The Pokémon Gloria caught—the one Rose unleashed, remember? They want to use its power we think, but she—thank Arceus—didn't have it with her when they kidnapped her."

"Right. And they have your brother," she rumbled, to which he nodded.

"And we... Well, we think there's more of them—allies. We're not sure who. We're trying to not be obvious in what we're doing, but we're gathering our own teams together. The Gym Leaders are all going to be in the know. We're including the police as best we can without causing a panic, too."

"Not a bad idea. Although, the brothers are probably going to lay low until they can set off their plan in some grand way. They're too flashy not to. Too cocky."

He managed a chuckle, "Speaking from experience?"

"I mean, Rocket wasn't as... _obnoxious_. Still, I'm sorry, Leon. For what's happening. You shouldn't have to go through it. Not with your family and friends in danger. And... thank-you. For saving me," she smiled, squeezing his hand, which still held hers.

"I'm only returning the favor. You saved me first, remember?"

"But you braved a blizzard to fly countless miles—oh wait, that was Charizard," she smirked, and he laughed again, but was cut off some by a choked sound.

"I wish you'd just be mad at me—for getting you involved. For getting you _hurt_."

She clicked her tongue, "I'd be wrong then. It was my decision. I chose to fight because I wanted to help. I was just dumb and let my guard down. I've, uh... never had anyone stab me before. Slash me. Whatever."

"Can't say I have either. Although, you sure? I kinda saw the other scars," he smirked back.

She raised a brow, "Peeked, huh?"

He blushed and she laughed for a moment before regaining her composure.

"So. What's the plan?"

"We're figuring it out. You need to focus on getting better."

"You need help, though, and my team can give it. What's the plan?" she pressed, and when he began to protest, she glared a little, "What's. The. _Plan_."

He sighed, seeing it was pointless, "So far? Trying to find where they're keeping Hop and Gloria. We have a private investigator we can trust on it and Sonia's helping where she can by trying to track their phones."

"Any leads?"

"No, not yet."

"No connections to anyone?"

Leon frowned, thinking, "Well, they... mentioned Rose, but he's in prison."

"Might be worth checking out. He might talk to lessen his sentence," she replied. He made a look and she raised her brow, "What? I told you not my first go at this. Rocket's executives weren't easy to find. Giovanni was even harder, and Galactic was just as bad if not worse. And Plasma..."

Leon watched her carefully, her gaze falling.

"They... were bad. I don't think anyone turned." 

"...They were from Unova?" he asked carefully, to which she nodded. He hesitated before he spoke again, "Are... they why you failed before?"

Her eyes widened as she looked to him sharply, and he felt a pang in his chest. He had touched a raw nerve, and yet, he didn't want to pull back from it. Whatever had happened there was why she had risked her life and understood him so well, and he couldn't abate his need to know. Maybe then he could help her, too.

"...How much did I tell you?" she whispered, and he hated how pained she looked. She hadn't meant to tell him back at the cave. That hurt some, but he tried to understand.

"Not much. Just that you failed a friend there... but you didn't say what happened to them. You... couldn't."

"Oh."

He watched her closely, noting the sudden sorrow there, "... They died... didn't they?"

Again she looked to him sharply, then back away. Her lips pressed together firmly, and he was just relieved she hadn't torn her hand away from him in anger. It was truthfully just a guess, but he had hit the mark. No wonder it hurt so deep.

Her voice shook when she answered, "...Yes. He did."

She went quiet, and Leon felt his stomach tighten while his gaze fell. She was clamping up. It wasn't his place to ask in the first place, though. He wasn't privy to it, as much as he wanted to share her burden. She was already doing so much for him, and he cared for her. He knew he did—probably more than he should have, yet he couldn't stop the feeling. It made him hate seeing her like this all the more; enduring all the pain, putting the heavy burden on her shoulders. He just wanted to help her carry it.

He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by her stomach. She chuckled, cheeks a little pink, and he couldn't help laughing, too.

"Hang on, I'll get you some food. Sonia cooked breakfast before she headed out so there's still some left," he forced himself to beam and left her alone once more. She used both hands to tend to her Pokémon, whom snuggled as close as they could. They shifted again a few minutes later to let her sit up when Leon came back—he had to help her as she tweaked her side a bit—and munched on the eggs and sausage he'd warmed up. He let her know her Pokémon were all cared for, and that Tyranitar and Lapras waited outside with Charizard to see her when she was able. She only nodded, and he sat there with her, letting her eat, mind wandering all the while.

Eventually, his curiosity and desire became too much again, and he spoke as she nearly finished.

"What happened with your friend, 'Cas? How did he die?" he inquired softly, almost a whisper. She had started to poke a last bit of sausage, but let her fork rest back on the plate, looking first to him, and then to her food.

"It's... don't worry about it—"

He reached over to cover her hand with his, "'Cas... please, let me help you, even if it's just to vent. I _want_ to help you as much as you have for me. I want to know why you would go so far for someone like me, and he's part of it. _Please,_ even if it's only because I'm your friend. I want to understand so I can help."

"...You mean you want to know why I'm a lot like you?" she chuckled, to which he spared a half-smile. He let her sigh and go quiet for a moment. Her eyes closed, an unease in her features. Her Pokémon made concerned sounds, but she stroked their heads gently to reassure them. She sighed again, and looked him right in the eyes, "My friend... was called N, and I couldn't save him."

Cassandra paused to take in a difficult breath. She should have stopped. She should have let it be with that, but Leon had broken through all the barriers she'd put up. She'd kept her family out with them, and her friends and Pokémon, too. They'd all kept their distance, wanting to respect her apparent need to be alone. So she'd put up her walls, pushed everyone away to not have to face it all. Yet, here was Leon, taking hold and ripping them apart like they were nothing. She wanted to fight it, but she knew, deep down, she wanted this. She wanted someone to push, to know the pain, and to listen. Even back then, she'd wanted her friends and family to do the same, but she'd been selfish and cowardly. The dam had been broken now, though, and there was no stopping the flood. She couldn't run away anymore. So she surrendered.

"It was because of Ghetis. And Team Plasma. He was... Technically, he was their King—their ruler," she began, and chuckled at his shocked look. "He thought he was, anyways. He was a good person, though. Y'see, we... we met not long after I started my journey there—in Unova, thanks to his Pokémon who happened to be the brother of mine. Crazy, huh? But, he, ah... he... he saw me in a battle and he started talking to me about it. He was actually criticizing me some, but it... It was so strange. I didn't get mad. He wasn't being like a dick or arrogant. He just... he didn't like seeing them hurt in fights. He loved Pokémon, you see. But not like you or me. He really, honestly, and unconditionally loved them. _All_ of them. Pokémon were everything to him, and he treated them as equals. His only goal in life was to make a world where Pokémon could live free of fear and danger—free from people. A world without them. Without _us._ He... he didn't think we could co-exist anymore."

"Not sure I'd call that a good person," Leon mused. Again, she chuckled.

"If you'd met him, you'd see. I did disagree with him, though, but we weren't entirely at odds. Frankly, we got along well. N just wanted to protect Pokémon. He'd seen the worst people had done to them, but so very little of the good. I like to think I maybe finally showed him that good, but...

She sighed, waving her hand, "We kept meeting as our journey went on. We kept talking. We would battle, but he wasn't some evil genius or gangster mob. And, truthfully, he was being used. By Ghetis. His father."

"What? How so?"

"His father wanted N to make that new world by having everyone release all of their Pokémon—so that he could rule over it and be the only person with Pokémon. It was... insanity, and yet... it was _possible_."

Leon frowned, "I... don't understand."

"Johto and Kanto have legendary birds and beasts of great power. Sinnoh has mythical beings who can distort space and time and more. Unova has dragons—ancient, powerful ones that could influence the hearts and minds of people. It... the plan wasn't the best, but... I believe N could have done it. You see, the legendary dragon Zekrom awakened to his will near the end of things—in fact, right before I was going to face the Champion Alder. Zekrom recognized the power and strength of his ideals. N believed that, with the dragon on his side, he could get the people to listen to him and release their Pokémon and create his new utopia for them—an idealistic world."

"I don't think N knew people very well."

"No," she laughed lightly, and he noted her eyes were watering when she sniffed, "No, he didn't. Or not as much as he thought. So, I confronted him. He urged me to challenge him and prove my truth was stronger than his ideals. And to do that I needed Zekrom's counterpart."

Leon's eyes widened, "You awakened a legendary?"

"I did. Somehow. It was the dragon Reshiram. I had its core with me, and my will awakened it as he had awakened Zekrom. It responded to the Truth I knew," she went on, and at his confusion, added, "That the world was better with both Pokémon _and_ people together, good and bad and all. So... we fought and I won. I think he wanted me to. I wanted to ask him, but... Ghetis, his father, showed up and revealed the real purpose of Team Plasma."

"To make a world he would rule," he nodded.

"Yes. N was deceived by the one who raised him, tricked into his ideals, to be used as a pawn. Ghetis was furious. In his rage at N's failure to give him the world he wanted to rule... he...," she went on, her eyes wetter now as her voice cracked. A short sob left her as she brought an arm up to her face, both wiping the tears and hiding them. "Ghetis stabbed N from behind and left to try and escape to—to somehow finish the work. And N... Fuck, N was _dying_ _, '_ Lee... He was...there was so _much_ blood, and Alder and the others were too far away to help and... and..."

The painful memories came back as tears fell down in waves. 

_Red stains on a white shirt. Blood on a pale face and her hands; a black pool on the hard stones beneath his body; a pair of once warm, vibrant eyes now dull, cold; a weak hand reached for hers. She'd taken it. He'd whispered to her. She swore to him. A final breath left. His hand fell. She'd held him close as their Pokémon mourned and raged. The dragons had, at the very least, been unified in that._

"N begged me to go—to leave him and stop Ghetis," Cassandra continued as she wiped at her eyes "To protect the world I'd shown him. The Truth I'd shown him. So I did. I left him there and I fought that vile man, and I beat him.

She had looked away, but now faced Leon again, "I wanted to kill him. I was so ready to do it—to make him hurt like he'd hurt N. I even took his sword and I was so close to cutting that fucking _monster_ down... But Alder... He... he stopped me, and they placed him under arrest. I couldn't kill that bastard, so I went back for N, but... he was gone. One of the League told me they saw Zekrom fly off. I can only assume the dragon took N with him—to some place better to rest. I don't know. I didn't dare go look. I just.... left. I didn't stay to finish my Challenge. Alder said I should, but I couldn't. I just... I _couldn't_. I couldn't forget how N looked in my arms—how I had let him _die_. How I hadn't tried hard enough to save him—the _one_ person is the world who really, truly loved Pokémon with all his heart. I-I had never failed like that before; never lost a friend like that, and like a coward I ran."

She sniffed again, wiping actual tears now. Leon didn't waver in his vigil.

"I went back home first to the Ranch in Johto. I tried to get past it, but I couldn't. I couldn't stop thinking of how I'd failed; how I could have done more. Surely if I had done something— _anything_ more I could have saved him. I had always saved everyone else, so why couldn't I save _him_?" she spat through more tears, venom in her words—for herself. "My parents could see I was troubled. My Pokémon knew it, too, but I avoided them. All of them, especially my Unova team. I didn't want to have to face it. And because I was a coward I kept running. I looked for anywhere as far away as possible and ran here, to Galar. It's why I had to wait to enter because of my Pokémon, I hadn't bothered to see who I could bring. I just wanted to get away to a place no one knew me, and no one would know what I'd done and failed to do.

She went on, and chuckled pathetically, body slumping, "And I guess I did it. I beat the gyms to go where I pleased, avoiding recognition from the competition and League, and didn't face you to keep on doing that. Instead I holed myself up in that frozen wasteland, immersing myself in work I called research to give me a reason to not go back. But I'm just a coward."

She went quiet, rubbing her eyes once more. Her Arcanine nuzzled her gently, and the others made sure a paw, or a wing were touching her, too. They understood her pain, and no doubt thought it wasn't deserved. Leon was certain of it, because that was what _he_ believed. He took her hand and met her gaze with a gentle one of his own.

"You're not a coward," he spoke softly. "Not back then, and certainly not now."

"Don't try to make me feel better, Leon. I know what I am. I haven't even talked to my parents since I came here _years_ ago."

"Hey, at least that was because you were suffering. I barely spoke to my family when I was Champion because I was so busy—and they _live_ here."

She managed a half-sob-half-snicker, "Stop it."

"Nah, see, because I get it. I'm a coward, too. All the time with you in the mountains... I was scared to go back, and not because of Swordward. Frankly, a part of me didn't _want_ to go back after seeing the freedom you had. I didn't want to keep facing my failure as a Champion. Yeah, I'm proud Gloria won, but... I was angry, too. At her. At _me_. At _my_ failure. I let my Pokémon down. I let Galar down. And I let _myself_ down. I put on a brave face because I had to, but I know I've been running from it. Trying to. The Battle Tower is just me trying to reclaim what I had because battling is all I know how to do right and maybe I wouldn't feel like such a failure...," he went on, his own smile sad as he looked away. "Truth be told... I'm not sure I would have left even when Charizard was healed. At least, not until you made me, but... it was tempting to stay—to run away from it all."

"But we can't always run, can we?" she asked weakly, and he nodded.

"No, we can't. Especially when the problem finds you and there's more trouble ahead. We can't keep running right now, but this is my fight, 'Cas," he held up his free hand when she started to protest. "I know. I know you want to help.... But you never should have been involved in the first place. It _is_ my fault you were, and I can't let you help us. Not anymore than you have."

"But I'm going to—whether you like it or not. I won't let you go through what I did. No one should have to watch the people they care for die. And, besides, I owe that guy a Mega Kick to the balls for slicing me up," she smirked, forcing the young man to both chuckle and sigh.

"I normally would disagree, but I'd honestly pay to see that. But... you know you don't have to. You don't have to prove you won't fail. You don't have to do this because of what happened to N. That wasn't your fault. You did everything you could. You _did_."

"You don't know that."

"I do. I may have only known you a little while, but I've learned enough to know you're not someone who does anything half-ass. You punched your rival to knock sense into them, you took down Team Rocket to save your home, you took on two _more_ organizations to save other lands, you've become a multi-regional Champion, and you saved an idiot who got lost in a blizzard from both the cold and a sword-welding lunatic. If there was a way to save that N guy... you would have found it."

"I...I really want to believe that," she sobbed. Leon just smiled and pushed himself onto the bed so he could properly embrace her, mindful of her side. She grasped hold of his jacket, doing what she could to not cry, but did a poor job of it. He didn't pull away, though; only kept her there, pressed against him, and his chin on her head as the tears poured down and she sobbed over and over.

"You will. Promise."

A few more sobs escaped her, but then she settled, and Leon pulled away, smiling softly. She returned it and finally scarfed down the last of her food. The young man bid her rest some more and stay in bed—not that she could get up once her Pokémon clambered on her to give her more attention—and slipped out of the room. He paused, though, finding Sonia waiting just outside, back from her errand. He noted she had an odd look on her face. He couldn't place what exactly, but she wasn't her usual self.

"'Cas is awake finally, and she managed to get some food down. Did everything go alright?" he asked, slipping around to the kitchen to start cleaning the dishes.

Sonia followed, but didn't reply at first, glancing to her room, and then back to Leon, "So I could hear. Her Pokémon outside were restless, too, but no way can they stay in here outside their balls, it's too crowded already. Anyways, so far so good. Raihan's got Eternatus on lock down with the strongest, most loyal trainers he has watching it when he's not. The other Gym Leaders are working with investigators on trying to find where the guys are hiding out, and if they have any spies, but it's not like we know who to look for. They've not exactly made themselves _known_ except to us. Your mom is relieved to know you're OK by the way, but good Arceus it took everything I had to convince her to _not_ come running over here. You might have to sneak over soon, she's been distraught since you went missing, and only got worse when Hop was taken. I tried to lie, but Gloria's mom knows her daughter is missing, so yours figured it out."

"I... yeah, I'll visit soon. I can probably find a disguise or something," he winced, heart falling at the thought of his mom so close yet unable to see her and comfort her even if it would be lies. He somehow pushed the thought aside to refocus on his friend. "So no word from Swordward and Shieldbert?"

She shook her head, "No. Not even a threat to Hop or something about the one you fought being gone. I assume if he was back with them he'd know to check here, but... Well, it's a reprieve I'll gladly take. The next step will be trying to get in touch with Rose. We need to find out what he knows so we can stay two steps ahead."

"Do you think they know how to get to the Sword and Shield relics?" he grimaced.

"No, otherwise, they wouldn't have gone after you or the kiddos to find them. I doubt the two Pokémon would just let them in even around us, either."

"True," Leon rumbled, drying his hands so he could press his mouth into them thoughtfully. Sonia raised a brow at him. He didn't look her way, though, so she approached the counter.

"Thinking isn't your strong suit, 'Lee. I would know, after all," she grinned.

He chuckled, "True, but... when it comes to Pokémon, I'm pretty smart. But we should include 'Cas into some of our plans. She's going to be helping out."

"This isn't her problem, though? This is our home. _Our_ problem. I think she's done more than enough."

"Yeah, I told her that, too, but she insisted, and won't take no for an answer. I think Johto-jin people are naturally more stubborn," he grinned impishly, but Sonia only frowned slightly in response. He waved his hand, "Look, she has a strong team. I've only got Charizard right now, and you only have Yamper. Us two alone aren't enough and the other Gym Leaders are busy with their part."

"Then we should go get your Pokémon."

"They're back in Tower still. There's no way I'll be able to go there unnoticed, even in disguise. And neither will you—the entire region knows you as much as me now that you're an official Professor and the book you wrote."

She clicked her tongue, "True. So, what? Who do we send?"

"Me."

The two turned sharply to find Cassandra standing in front of the door to the room, her Pokémon right by her side. She had a hand on where her wound was, walking with only a slight limp. Arcanine kept right in step with her as she came over, ready to be used as a brace.

"The Swordward guy did see me, but in my winter gear. I had a hat and goggles on my head, and baggy clothes, so even if he talked about me he wouldn't have a good description. Give me a new outfit and I can sneak in wherever you need, so long as I have a key to do it, or code or whatever. Anyways, you said there's a Shieldbert, too, right? Well, I definitely never met him, so he definitely won't know me, which means we have the advantage there."

"I hate how that's all right," Leon frowned. "You're still injured...."

"We can wait a day to plan. If what you said is right, they can't get the Sword and Shield or Eternatus any time soon. And we don't want to show ourselves too early if we can help it. But you need your Pokémon. So, let me help with this for now."

Sonia bit her lip, "I mean... she's not wrong. She's totally unknown here. But you'll still need a hat or hoodie or something and maybe some shades."

"I can provide that. The hat and shades, I mean," the young man smirked. "My clothes won't fit. Oh, but I do have my apartment key on me. You'll need it to both use the elevator and get to my room. My Pokémon will be there except when the care takers come get them to eat and play around from ten to four."

"And they'll just let me right in?" Cassandra pressed.

He nodded, "Yeah, anyone can enter, and if you have my key card, you can take the lift without a problem. Since you can't use it unless you're a member, they shouldn't ID you. The Tower isn't exclusive to just business people or the elite anymore—anyone who participates in the battles can stay there, so they won't think twice."

"That doesn't sound risky at all," Sonia mused dryly.

"But it'll have to do," Cassandra chuckled. "I should be moving better by tomorrow. I can go then, or the day after. But first... where are Tyranitar and Lapras again? I'm sure they've been worried sick."

Leon grinned, "Just outside. Mind Tyranitar. He's been about ready to mow down a mountain."

"Of course, he is, and don't even _joke_ about that—his kind can actually _do_ it. Honestly, though, I thought I taught him manners," the redhead sighed with a shake of her head, then paused to look at Sonia. She bowed her head. "Thank-you, for all you've done. I haven't gotten to meet you personally, Sonia, but I know your grandma. You didn't have to take me in, so thank-you again. I owe you my life. The least I can do is help you guys out against these sons of bitches."

"Of course. A friend of Leon is a friend of mine. Although, I do have to hear how it all _really_ happened at some point when this is all over, Leon is bad when it comes to the details," the ginger smiled back, and Cassandra briefly wondered how genuine it was. She glanced between the professor and Leon, but he didn't have much to say—or show, really. 

Well then. 

Deciding she should head out to her Pokémon, the redhead walked as carefully as she could towards the backyard. Lucario was kind enough to open the door, allowing her Pokémon to dart out first, with her right behind. Tyranitar and Lapras came forward at once, bombarding her with their growls and cries and chirps. The blue-skinned water-type preened and nipped at her shirt, making noises in such a way she was sure the creature was demanding to know what happened. Her armor-skinned "mother hen", likewise, growled and chuffed as if berating her.

It reminded her a bit of her parents, and she couldn't help laughing as she embraced them both and rubbed the necks and snouts, eliciting loud purrs and rumbles. Really, _she_ was supposed to be _their_ mother if anything.

"Sorry for worrying you guys. I let my guard down, and I scared you. I promise I'll do better from now on... because it's not over yet," she explained, and her Pokémon stood more at attention. She looked at all of them. "Something very dangerous is going on. Maybe even worse than what Rocket planned, and on par with Plasma. Less than Galactic, though. The man who attacked us is... crazy. Or we all think they are, but either way they want to rule this land, and we have to help stop them. It's not home, but we made a place here and made a friend. It's only right we help them out, especially after they helped us. But only if you're up for it."

Her Pokémon gave their confident replies, and she knew they were able and willing. They always were, and for that, she adored them. Her Pokémon were everything to her, and she was proud to see them so strong and willing to help and do the right thing. She only wished she were half as brave as them.

"Not a bad speech. Give it a six out of ten. I could give you some pointers to get the crowd _really_ going, though, if you'd like?" Leon's voice broke through, and she turned with a snort to face him. Charizard followed in suit, having stayed off respectfully to the side, and she gave him a good chin rub, which he happily purred about. She regarded the purple-haired man, who seemed just a little more handsome than usual. It might have been his beard that had thickened since their first meeting, or maybe it was just his unusually "normal" outfit that clung tight to his muscular frame? Really, what was he thinking wearing something like that? Not to mention hugging her; comforting her when she needed it most; getting her to vent all her regrets like that; making her feel good—just like he had in the cave, when their bare skin had touched. Even though the memories will still a bit hazy she recalled the firmness of his chest against her back—

Cassandra's cheeks flushed as she quickly shoved the thoughts away.

"We're _trying_ to keep a low profile, aren't we?"

"True. I guess I'll save the private lessons for later."

"Oh, you're so kind," she chuckled.

Leon watched her a moment, "You don't _have_ to get my Pokémon back. I can do it."

"I'm going to start thinking you're insincere, Leon. Don't agree with my offer to help if you don't mean it," she mused, to which he snickered lightly. 

"I just... worry. I don't know what will be going on up there, and I can't be of much of help except maybe being on standby with Charizard."

"Which is why why you need to have some faith in your friends' power, too. Besides, you said it yourself: I'm strong."

He blushed, "You, uh... heard that?"

"Yep. You guys weren't exactly quiet, and the room was right there. But don't worry, I thought it was sweet," she winked playfully, making his blush deepen. She snickered as she reached out to take his hand and squeeze. "And... it was sweet of you to comfort me. I admit, I'm not used to it, but... thank-you. I needed it, even though it's going to be probably forever until I believe it."

"Then I'll just keep reminding you—like you will me. Just... promise to not punch me in the face to finally make me realize it?"

"Oh, don't worry, I wouldn't dream of harming your best asset."

He guffawed, "My best—? I'll have you know; my personality is _amazing_. My flowing locks and handsome mug are simply additional benefits."

"I see _modesty_ is, too."

"Hey, you're the one who likes my face the most. But do feel free to tell me what _else_ you enjoy—like my nice bod," he winked, spreading his arms out wide. She swore he flexed on top of it and suddenly hated how toned he was, which only made her cheeks hotter than they'd already were. The guy worked _out_. She did, too, of course, but he had done a damned fine job of it.

"Well, I do like your Charizard. Such a handsome, strong boy," she cooed at the lizard Pokémon who sent a sly grin his trainer's way. Said trainer pouted, naturally.

"Hey, now, I'm far more handsome. You said so yourself!"

"Uh, no I didn't," she chortled, but he just smirked.

"Says the one who got a good view undressing me."

Her cheeks turned bright red, "Bold words from someone who did the same. I bet you enjoyed _that_ view."

"Oh, I did," he winked again, and her cheeks went scalding. Dammit, why couldn't she think of a good retort? Worse still, she hadn't been so flustered before over seeing him half-naked to save his life, being reminded now shouldn't get her unbalanced!

Except, he'd held her while they were both half-naked to help keep her warm, and she recalled enjoying it when the pain wasn't the only thing she felt.

Good Arceus, she was acting like a teenager with a crush! When was the last time she had been? Lance? Her first, foolish love? Or when she'd gone on a doomed date with Volkner in Sinnoh where he thought she just wanted to battle and talk strategy? Or the few men she'd dated for a week or two or even one night, only to not feel anything in the end? All just her being an idiot. Yet, this felt different. Maybe. It was probably just because he could match her wit and she wasn't used to it. That, and she'd been away from people for so long.

Yeah, that had to be it. It was just a crush and crushes faded fast, so it would be fine.

"By the way, is it weird if I ask where you got the other scars?"

She laughed, maybe a little too loudly. He watched; a bit bewildered.

"Sorry, I just wasn't expecting it. No, I don't mind. There's quite a few stories, mostly involving wild Pokémon and my Gabite, but I guess we need to kill some time. And I think you guys need to kill some time in your balls. You do take up a lot of room," she snickered, and returned them as she said. She turned to Leon, with a grin, "So... which one first?"

\--------------------------------

_**TMWolf:** So man talk about emotional baggage. And we thought Leon was bad lol But yeah N is dead in my universe cause I thought it'd make a great tragedy and trauma :D also I always figured my OCs would end up friends with N just cause he's a genuinely good guy with just skewed world views. Anyways good thing Cas has her boyfrie----i mean Leon to help her carry it lmao_

_AND NOW FOR SOME MORE FANART BECAUSE YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT THAT IF YOU GIVE ME SOME I WILL POST IN MY CHAPTERS LIKE A PROUD PARENT SHOWING IT OFF ON A GOSH DANG KITCHEN FRIDGE. THANKS AGAIN TO ICEOFFIRE336 <3 <3_


	9. Heist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops y'all gotta remind me to update if it's been more than three days xD Anyways, the heist chap is here, and I have some fun pictures at the bottom for y'all.

Their "mission" started two days later, when they were sure Cassandra's side was healed up enough to where it didn't cause much pain. There was still tenderness, but not to where she would wince unless she was struck hard. She assured them she was fine, and from there it was a matter of outfit. Luckily Sonia already had extra clothes for her to use. She was subsequently adorned in a slightly baggy hoody and snug jeans along with a cap from Leon and shades that had been lying around. At most she could pass for an older teen dressing in an up-start style, but that worked in their favor. She would keep her Pokémon hidden slightly under her top, just to keep up the illusion.

Originally, it was planned to take a Taxi, but the question of a possible ambush came up, and Leon demanded to go along as back up. He might have just had Charizard, but that would work in their favor in case they had to make a quick exit—all he would have to do was pick Cassandra up and zip away. Yes, the enemy would find out he was for sure alive—if they didn't already—but by then they would be back in Postwick and they would have _two_ Champion-level teams to fight with. It might cause some problems with their future plans, but Leon's team would help change the tide. 

With that settled, Sonia wished them good luck in the early morning hour they left. They had yawned their thanks, both of them having stayed up to both plan and talk. Most of it was about future goals and what the enemy might do, but ultimately it ventured into frivolous talk, jokes, and teases, and even playful flirts, though there was nothing behind it—at least, that's what Cassandra told herself. She was pretty sure he'd traded such glib with Sonia, anyways, although she didn't recall the ginger talking as much. The professor had even excusing herself to bed before them at one point while they had stayed up a few too many hours more. Cassandra hadn't meant to, but, truthfully, she hadn't even realized time had been flying by. The hours meant nothing around Leon, and she enjoyed hearing about his childhood and journey to be Champion. Likewise, he asked her as much as he could about her own journey and the Pokémon she'd seen, the Champions she'd faced; and all about her ranch back home along with the Legendary Pokémon she'd encountered again. Not once did his curiosity seem insincere, and she couldn't help blushing every so often as she realized, yet again, how attentive he was.

Not many people, especially the men she'd liked, were.

Still, she didn't dare let herself think too far, and instead enjoyed the notion that after talking so much she felt like she'd known him forever. Certainly, she trusted him completely, and so was actually quite glad he came with her to Wyndon, riding on the back of his Charizard—and not just for the close proximity as they flew; him holding her with his arm around her waist while he pressed into her back to keep her snug against the Pokémon.

Thank Arceus he couldn't see her red cheeks, and that the flight was only a few hours.

Wyndon was as she remembered, except the Battle Tower, although back then it had been _Rose_ Tower, named for the former owner. Leon has taken over post-arrest and his loss as Champion, and it looked much livelier and more welcoming. Even in the early morning, people were strewn about with their own Pokémon or just chatting. The Tower itself was imposing at one thousand feet tall, with the main battle arena at the very top in the circular dome enclosed with see-through glass. Yet, despite being intimidating it was rather accommodating to trainers and guests of all kinds. For instance, and per her comrade's description, if a guest wanted, they could leave their Pokémon with the facility's day care from about 10 AM to 4 PM, after which they would be returned via room service. As it stood, they've arrived just shy of 9 AM. They had one hour before the Pokémon would be moved, which meant they were still in his apartment—up near the very top on the Champion floor. It was reserved for those who had the highest rankings and special guests like Gym Leaders, and of course for Champions including ex ones like himself. 

Leon glanced from around the corner of the alleyway they were lurking, peeking at the crowd through his dark shades. He'd made sure to wear a hood as well, which helped keep his hair back that he'd tied into a pony-tail and shoved under a hat. He apparently had a lot of caps to choose from, though refused to say how many; only admitting he had enough to never wear the same one any day of the week. He'd also made a point to wear a scarf, too. Essentially, to anyone who looked, they wouldn't know it was the former Champion. His Charizard was a bit more noticeable, however, but that's why they were keeping hidden at the moment.

Turning back to Cassandra, he handed her a golden card, "Here, my key. Just go the side elevator on the right as soon as you enter—it's the main one to use to get to personal rooms. The middle is to get to the dome up top. Once you get to the Champions floor—it's the 'C' button—my room is the very last on the left, C10. I have my Pokémon on my belt in my room on a display and my phone next to it, too. Rillaboom might be out and getting into trouble, but just tell him Leon sent you. Show him your hat, too."

"...Your hat?"

"It's the one I wore when I was Champion, so he'll know it. He likes to steal it and wear it himself sometimes. Luckily for us, the League made a point to pass out copycats as merchandise, so no one will think any different," he chuckled, playfully tipping the lip of it. She snickered as she took the key and stuck it in her pocket.

"I'll send you a message when I have them, and meet you back here," she explained, double checking her pokégear. Sonia had upgraded it for her last night, adding the Galar messenger app and their numbers. She'd also made sure to encrypt it with the help of her Rotom. Cassandra never bothered to upgrade hers with one, as she didn't need it, and it felt weird having a Pokémon in her phone. Leon tried hard to convince her last night, but even his sweet, pathetic Pikachu eyes couldn't sway her. 

"Got it. I guess if there's trouble, blow a hole in the wall and I'll know to come get you?" he grinned like the imp he was.

"Oh my _Arceus_. I don't need that bill on my hands! But—" she grinned, reaching up to tip his chin up, "—thanks. Nice to know I have a knight in shining armor to come save me if I need to bail."

"Of course, _my lady_. Alright, get going. And be _careful_ , 'Cas!" he added, taking her hand to squeeze it. She met his gaze behind the shades and nodded with a grin.

"Don't worry—not my first time infiltrating an organization."

She didn't give him time to inquire about it, spinning around, and heading right toward the main square in front of the Tower. She hadn't been lying, though; she'd done her fair share of sneaking into bad guy bases, either in disguise or not. The key was simply to act like you belonged, and people didn't bother you—unless, of course, it was a high security area, but this wasn't. Not in the residential part, anyways. That wasn't to say she wouldn't be careful, so she made a point to chew some Berry gum to add on a "rebellious teenaged cool-kid" charm so people would think it was just a normal thing walking up the steps, waltzing right through the front door, and sauntering over to the elevator on the right. As she expected, no one at the reception even really cared; they were too busy with other trainers, so it was simple enough to tap Leon's card on the elevator keypad. It dinged and opened, letting her in. Two other trainers followed suit. They looked young—probably actual teens who were excited over beating the Pokéball Tier at the Tower. She couldn't help grinning. She remembered those days, although for her it'd had been beating her first Gym. Arcanine had been a Growlithe then.

The two got off a lot earlier than she did, leaving her alone for what felt more than a thousand feet before the elevator stopped, dinged, and revealed a hallway that went left and right. She went left, following the curve of the tower until it ended and there was room C10 was waiting for her. She tapped the key card on the door. It clicked, so she turned the handle and pushed in.

A Rillaboom greeted her, munching on snacks in the living room area. A pile of empty bags were all around it, along with plenty more crumbs.

She paused.

It paused.

They stared at one another; its eyes wide like a kid caught with a hand in the cookie jar.

If she thought about it, the Pokémon kind of was. Only the cookie jar was a bag of chips it dropped on the ground. 

Then the Rillaboom shrieked angrily, raising a baton to chase her out. She miraculously recalled Leon's words and took off her hat to show it to the angry grass type.

"Wait! Leon sent me! I'm his friend!" she shouted, making the large Pokémon pause. It narrowed its eyes, frowning in contemplation. It sniffed the air cautiously, then came closer. Her heart raced, hoping her Pokémon would behave and not jump out. So far, they hadn't, and the Rillaboom came right next to her, sniffing profusely all around her face and shoulders. It snatched the hat, looking between it and her, and then snorted with satisfaction. It didn't return the hat, though, instead putting it on its own head and made various sounds at her.

She assumed it was asking about Leon. It sounded irritated. She wasn't surprised.

"I came to get you—all of you. Leon is in some trouble," she began, and the Pokémon immediately perked up, puffing itself up a bit with a loud hoot. She held up a hand, shushing it, "Calm down! I'm trying to _sneak_ you out to him! He needs you guys right now. Some bad people came to hurt him and now they have Hop and Gloria—yeah, you know them? These bad guys got them, and now I need to get you and the rest to Leon to help. You have to go back in your ball and I'll get you all out, okay?"

The Rillaboom rumbled thoughtfully, gauging her words, and sniffing her some again. It took the hat off, eyeing her and it once more, and then finally nodded. Cassandra sighed in relief and had to laugh when the Pokémon pat her head and returned the hat before motioning for her to follow to another room. Another time and place, she might have really taken the time to notice how grandiose the suit was—certainly better than other Champion rooms she'd been given—but for now she focused on the bedroom.

As Leon said, he had his belt on display, pokéballs attached to it, and his Rotom phone slumbered right by it, charging. The Rillaboom brought both over, chirping at the last one ball on the belt. All six were there, two of them empty. She took the ball pointed out, and, shoving the phone in her free pocket, had the grass-type follow her back to the living room. She raised the device, but before she could return the Pokémon to its ball there was a knock on the door. Both froze, staring at one another again. Only, it wasn't shock in their features this time. It was concern. 

"Room service."

Cassandra's mind raced, ' _Room Service_?'

That wasn't right. It couldn't be right. Why the hell would there be room service when Leon wasn't even here? It wasn't time for day care pick up, either—she still had just under an hour—and even then, why call out? Did they assume he was just in and out despite not showing up for days? It was just too much of a coincidence that it happened right when _she_ was here. Something was wrong.

The door was locked, but room service could get in right? Didn't they only call out once? 

Her gut didn't like this.

_"Room service._ "

Okay, definitely not the cleaning staff. Her gut _really_ didn't like this. 

Cassandra had just reached for her own pokéballs when the door exploded, the force knocking her back into the Rillaboom, whom thankfully caught her and shielded her from the shrapnel. In the doorway, a Machoke sauntered through, brushing debris off its hands. Behind it were two trainers, dressed as cleaning people. Smirks adorned their faces, which only grew more smug as the second trainer unleashed a Sneasel that laughed tauntingly.

"Screech!" the second trainer barked before she could react, and it was only instinct that saved Cassandra and Rillaboom's eardrums as they slapped their hands over their ears while the ice-type unleashed an unholy sound that vibrated through their bones and blasted their ear drums. Any glass surfaces around them cracked and shattered, the wall-to-ceiling windows behind her included. It was awful, glass slapping against them, and she was dizzy by the time it ended, which wasn't helped by the short, sudden blast of wind from behind. Rillaboom wavered as well, but he was a strong creature, and snarled while stepping in front of her protectively.

"Stop—that Sneasel has the advantage on you," she spoke quickly, reaching for her own ball.

"Ah-ah! Screech!"

Again, the ear-piercing sound wailed, she slapped her hands to her ears, but this time Cassandra wanted to vomit. Rillaboom writhed in pain, having not protected its ears in time.

"Machoke, Force Palm!" the first trainer bellowed as the screech ended. Cassandra whipped up the grass-type's pokéball and returned it before the fighter could land its blow. The Pokemon glowered at her, puffing itself up menacingly. She reached for Arcanine, but again, the Sneasel let loose. She screamed as the sound ravaged her body. Her skull practically split apart from the pain, and she almost did really vomit then and there. She'd never actually taken a full-on screech in such a small space before, but this was insane! She staggered back, ears ringing, vision dizzy, and stomach trying hard not to heave.

"Alright, she'd subdued. Don't try and grab a pokéball again, love. Just be a good little girl and tell us where Leon is. Oh, and hand over his Pokémon."

"D-don't know... w-who... that... is," she groaned, just barely starting to come out of the worst of it.

The second trainer, a woman, rolled her eyes, "Don't play stupid. We know you used his card. We've only been waiting for _ages_ for him to come back. The Kings said you would, and their wisdom never fails."

"Wonder if we should just take her? She must be a friend or something?" the first trainer, a man, shrugged.

"The Kings just want Leon, but since he's not here... he has to be close by. We'll just take his Pokémon, make sure to screech them anytime they try to come out. We'll use them to bait the slippery bastard."

Cassandra tried to think quickly. It was hard with all the ringing and pounding in her skull, but she knew she had to escape somehow. The door was not an option; the Machoke and Sneasel had their sights locked on her. If she tried to move or bring out a Pokémon they'd blast her. She'd probably pass out with another Screech, leaving no way to fight. So then—how?

Her foot crunched glass as she stepped back, and she looked over her shoulder at the broken window. A breeze was blowing in gently, and she noticed the once strong clear wall separating her from a harrowing fall to her death was gone. It was only open air, but it was a way out. Technically. Truth be told, she wasn't sure Corviknight had the size needed to completely hold her weight yet. He could potentially slow their descent so it didn't kill her when they landed, but a thousand feet was a long way, and she had no idea if he wasn't disoriented by the screeching. That, and she couldn't get him into the room without being attacked. 

She needed help. 

She needed—wait. Leon!

He said he'd come if she blasted out the wall.

A window blown out by a screech surely counted. Right?

But—what if he didn't notice?

She closed her eyes, a headache coming on. The trainers were still arguing on what to do, almost on the verge of a full blown verbal fight. It made it hard to think and focus, and there was some other loud sound—like a roar?

She gasped, eyes wide.

A _roar_.

From _outside_.

She had her way out.

Cassandra started to walk forward, arms up. The Pokémon tensed, alerting their trainers.

The man chuckled, "Giving up, huh? Wise choice, love. Now unclip those Pokémon and—."

Just as the trainers moved towards her, she reached what she felt would be a good distance. She spun sharply on her heel, and took off at a sprint. The trainers shouted in surprise, but she didn't dare stop as her foot hit the edge and she vaulted off.

At once she regretted it, the ground coming towards her at an alarming rate. She was falling fast—too fast. Panic was a very strong emotion at the time, but she had enough sense to reach for Corviknight's ball. Just as she grabbed it, though, a flash of orange crossed her vision and then came towards her again. She squeezed her eyes shut just as a hand latched onto her arm, and pulled her against a firm body, head burying into a mix of hair and hoodie. Wind pressure kept her from moving, whatever they were riding on flying up fast. It lasted only a few moments, and then they leveled out, giving her time to finally breathe. When she opened her eyes she found a familiar top and hair color, and when she looked up, there was Leon's worried face. He had an arm around her waist, the other cupping her cheek while she straddled his waist. He was talking, but it was muffled by the wind and the ringing in her ears.

She groaned, pinching her brow and putting a hand to his mouth, "I got screeched, give me a minute."

He seemed to understand and let her rest her head against his chest, the pounding starting to ease up some. He said something to Charizard, and she noted the flying was a bit slower; steadier. Once the ringing faded, she finally lifted her head and sighed.

"Thanks for the save. I think you have one up on me now."

"You crazy woman, you _jumped_!" he rasped, shaking his head with a chuckle. "You actually jumped!"

"Wha—you told me you'd come get me!"

"From the _room_! Like as in I'd fly up there and you just climb on, not throw yourself out of the building into free fall! Thank Arceus we were already in the air!" he groaned, slapping a hand to his face.

"I was, uh, kind of in a tight spot, but I did get your Pokémon," she smiled, patting the belt over he shoulder. "But shit I need a full heal or something. That stupid Sneasel just about busted my ear drums, and..."

"What is it?"

"They were expecting us."

He scowled with a curse, "How?"

"They must have predicted you'd go for your Pokémon, and it seems like some of their henchmen were disguised as room service people. I swore no one was following me.... ugh, I bet they have more in there, too... which means Sonia was right. Ordinary people are allied with them."

"That's... not good."

"No, it's not... which means we really need to talk to Rose now."

"Yeah... we should head to Hammerlocke."

"Not Postwick first?"

"They'll expect it now they know I'm 'for sure' back. It's the only actual safe place they're aware of."

She frowned, "Will Sonia be alright?"

"Yeah, she'll be fine. They're not after her, and she'll just play dumb. She's strong—and smart."

A flash of annoyance went through Cassandra at the words, but she shoved that right back into the dark recess of her mind that it belonged.

"Okay. Hammerlocke it is. We're going to meet with Raihan, right?"

"Yeah, he's the one that's vouching for us. Officer Jenny should be fine with it, especially after they hear what happened at the Tower. Alright, hold tight. We'll be flying over the mountains again, but we'll stick to the valley where the weather is calmer."

"Brings back memories," she snickered, earning a chuckle in kind. She glanced over her shoulder at the marginally cloudy skyline, the snow-covered mountains below. The same ones they'd been in not so long ago. Her camping gear was down there still, she mused wryly. Craning her neck again, she could barely make out Hammerlocke's tall towers in the far distance. She sighed softly, the adrenaline beginning it wear off and the ache of the attacks starting to take hold. She let her head rest on his shoulders—for a moment, anyways. She would have gladly left it there, longer, but it was at that moment she realized their positioning. She looked back in front, first to his chest if only because it was _right there_ and then down where she was straddling him. A glance up and she saw his cheeks looked a shade pinker. He also seemed to be avoiding her gaze.

Ah.

"Uh, I can... turn... around?" she tried, coughing awkwardly.

"I, uh, wouldn't recommend it. Hop tried once when facing the other way when he was smaller, and that almost ended badly. He was mad he couldn't hit me after I made a joke," Leon chuckled, and she couldn't help noticing his arm still hadn't moved from around her waist.

"I guess I'll, uh, stay here then."

"Hold tight, though—we're going to pick up speed," he grinned rather impishly, and she couldn't stop her blush from worsening. Was he actually was _enjoying_ it?

She had no time to retort as Charizard suddenly roared, flapped its wings, and shot across the sky faster than she expected. Again she was pressed against him, if only because he had to lower himself as well to avoid wind whiplash. She ultimately decided to just endure keeping her head buried in his chest, hands clinging to the back of his shirt, ignoring the intimacy of their positions, and dared let herself enjoy how nice it felt and that he smelled nice.

After all, she could afford to be a little foolish sometimes. Right?

\-----------

**If you can't tell, this was a bit of a guilty pleasure chapter that I hope you all enjoyed as much as me :D**

**NOW FOR SOME CHAPTER FRIDGE ART DISPLAY BECAUSE ICEOFIRE336 IS SO GOOD TO ME**

**I'M JUST SO DEAD AND SCREAMING I ADORE IT ALL. IT MADE ME DRAW MY OWN TOO AND I'M ON A SPREE.**

**And of course thanks to everyone who's read and voted and commented! It means a lot :)**

**And then here's my comic that went with the chapter xD**


	10. Rose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for Raihan! And also Casseon fluff X)

**\------------**

Charizard brought them down in a courtyard of one of the castle-like buildings in Hammerlocke, which was, thankfully much warmer than over the mountains. It hadn't been freezing this time, and with a blizzard not brewing the flight had been quicker than before. Still, she was grateful to feel only slightly cool air as the Pokémon touched down. Cassandra breathed a sigh of relief as Leon helped her lean up. 

He grinned as impishly as ever at her, "Not a bad ride, huh? Perk of owning a Charizard."

"I still think I prefer a Taxi—no offense Charizard," she chuckled, patting the Pokémon that growled unhappily at her. The redhead looked back to their positioning and then Leon's face. "So, uh, how do you want me to slip off here?"

"Oh, hold on I'll—," he started, but just as he did—a _click_ , like a shutter of a camera, went off. The two trainers' heads swung to find a Rotom just feet away. Further back was a face they both knew, and painted across the dark-skinned visage was the most shit-eating grin she'd ever seen. 

"Yo, Leon, when you called, I thought it was for an emergency—not to introduce me to your girlfriend!" the young man laughed, cyan eyes bright with mischievousness. Both Cassandra and Leon's cheeks went bright red.

"I'm not—."

"She's not—."

The young man just laughed more and walked right on over, holding out his hand, "I kid. Here, I'll help you down, 'not-girlfriend'."

"Raihan!" Leon growled, but his rival only snickered as Cassandra took his offer, and, with help from Leon for balance, slid off Charizard without making it too awkward. The purple-haired man followed in suit, and just as the Gym Leader reached to shake the redhead's hand, his rival's pokeballs flared to life. All at once his team emerged and pounced, making all kinds of a fuss. Rillaboom scooped the young man up into his arms, angry and crying at the same time as he smooshed his face into Leon's. His Haxorus like-wise hissed and growled unhappily, but still tugged on his shirt affectionately. His Aegislash looked mighty upset, tears in its eyes, and the same could be said for his Rhyperior and Dragapult, who slapped him with his claws lightly. Leon took it all in stride, laughing and hugging them all back as best he could while apologizing profusely. 

The other two watched, bemused, and finally shook hands.

"Leon gave it away, as I'm sure the press has, too, but I'm Raihan, the infamous Dragon Tamer, Galar's one and only _strongest_ Gym Leader, and Leon's number one rival," he beamed, hands on hips with chest puffed up proudly.

She quirked a brow, "I'm Cassandra and that was a mouthful. I hope they don't call you humble, too."

"What can I say, love? When you know you're amazing, you know," he smirked, shrugging innocently. He paused to regard her, rubbing his chin with a thoughtful hum, "Leon said you were strong, but I don't remember you—have you beaten my gym?"

"She beat you a while ago—she has your badge to prove it. She probably just whipped you too quick for your pride to remember," Leon grinned, finally free of his team's attention, and enjoying Raihan's frown at the thought of his Pokémon falling so easily. "But, hey, don't be too down. She's a multi-League Champion, so it makes sense."

The dark-skinned man's eyes widened a bit, "Wait—you're not from here? Guess that explains the accent."

"Johto, actually. Been to Kanto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and now Galar. Grand Champion back home, and also Champions in Sinnoh and Hoenn both. Left Unova early, and didn't want the attention here," she explained with a small grin. "But as much as I love to compare our dic—I mean _accomplishments_ right now, I think we need to get a move on. The 'bad guys' kind of know Leon's back in action."

"Shit, what'd you mess up, 'Lee?" Raihan huffed, shooting his comrade a glare. Rillaboom made a testy grunt, not liking the attitude. The Gym Leader just smirked.

"They got the drop on us with people disguised as room service. 'Cas almost didn't get away. We need to talk to Rose—now. We need to figure out their plan."

The Gym Leader hummed, "Well, Jenny's still been doing the paperwork, but I think I can convince her since it's an emergency. And if it's the ex-Champ and a multi one... Do you happen to have your Champion card—'Cas', was it? Cute."

"Aww, you're sweet, Raihan. Flattery will only get you everywhere, you know," she chuckled, though couldn't help noting Leon's glare—and the Gym Leader's smirk. She rolled her eyes as she pulled out her card from Johto that had been marked. She made a point to always have it on her for moments like these. "Here. It shows my status."

Leon added with a gesture, "It'll be fine—she's with me, anyways."

"' _With you'_ , huh?" Raihan purred and laughed when the purple-haired man shoved him.

"Shut-up."

"Children, please? We need to interrogate a man? And, really, all you need to do is show the League insignia there and that will do it."

"Well aren't you a special fancy one? Right then, follow me, and don't forget to return your Pokemon, mate. Jenny doesn't allow any out in the holding facility besides theirs," Raihan mused, turning on his heel to walk towards the stairwell just ahead. Cassandra waited for Leon, who rolled his eyes again as he recalled his now satisfied Pokemon. She grinned at him, quite enjoying the teasing. It was fun to see someone else get under his skin, although, truth be told, the girlfriend comments did make her heart flutter a bit.

Wishful thinking, of course, but that's what wishing was for.

The Gym Leader led them to the cobbled stone pathway down to the streets below, and she vaguely recalled her stop here to take Raihan on. It hadn't been the easiest battle; she'd worried more than once if she needed to pull Lapras back a few times, but they'd endured until the Dynamax'd Pokemon where they finished things off with strong fighting moves from Lucario. She hadn't stayed long to chat after, though—only traded a few cheeky words with the flirtatious man before moving on. She rued not getting a chance to know him now—he was actually pretty funny, and not bad looking.

But Leon was better.

Again, she shoved that thought back where it belonged.

"You gonna be alright?" Leon inquired as they walked towards the main castle, just past the draw bridge. She glanced up at him with a "hmm?". He motioned to his ears, "Screech effects can last a while on people. And that flight probably didn't help."

"It's not so bad right now. I'll probably just take a pill later if its still acting up. Fuck that Sneasel, though."

"Still can't believe you _jumped_."

"Well the door was out. Besides, I heard Charizard. I think."

"You _thought_?!" he hissed, and Raihan paused in whatever he was saying—and they were ignoring—and raised a brow. He rubbed his chin, looking between them.

"Lover's quarrel?"

"Raihan!" Leon rasped, and 'Cas only rolled her eyes to hide a blush. "She's not—."

"Your girlfriend, I know, I know. Still, y'all acting like it. Getting all cozy on Charizard like that. You've never let _Sonia_ ride in your lap," he hummed playfully, turning around with an impish skip to his step.

Leon groaned, "I'm gonna kill him, I swear."

"I mean, truth be told... I didn't mind," she replied, as bluntly as she could, and walked on ahead, leaving the young man there in a short stupor. His face burned, and he had to work hard to hide it under his hat and hood as he raced after, all the while, wondering how in Arceus' name he was going to make it through this talk.

As it turned out, they had time to work on that.

Officer Jenny wasn't going to let them in right away. She needed their ID's—all of them—first and then went through a lengthy talk about Do's and Don'ts. She wasn't even supposed to be doing this, but because of the dire situation, she was going to allow it. Cassandra personally thought it _also_ had to do with the sweet words and winks Raihan was giving her, and she pitied all the women whose hearts he'd ruined, because there was no way he hadn't—intentionally or not. A flirty, handsome guy was inevitably a heart breaker, and that smile was a killer.

Still, she liked Leon's smile more. His flirting was better, too.

And there she went again.

Thankfully, things were ready by then, and Officer Jenny had them come with her, first dropping off their Pokémon for safety, and then led all three of them down into a holding facility below, lit by fluorescent light and no windows. Guards with Growlithe were in the hallways, keeping a watchful eye on some of the worst criminals in Galar. In a weird way, she was glad only a few were murderers, the rest were generally gang-related or crimes against Pokémon and humanity.

Like Rose. Ex-Chairman of the Galarian Pokémon League. The man who'd unleashed Eternatus on the world. Even _she_ had noticed that incident and was close enough to town to render aid at the time. Not much, and by then the ordeal was over, but it had been one heck of a day. She hadn't known much of what happened after, but Leon told her enough in their talks. He'd also told her how much it personally hurt him, and she could see his face struggling with that pain. He probably wasn't ready for this, but he had to do it.

She touched his hand just as Jenny began to unlock the door to the room Rose had been brought to. He looked to her, his eyes betraying his uncertainty, but squeezed her fingers with a nod. She nodded back, softly assuring him she was by his side. Raihan was with them, too, though he was quiet as he followed them inside the small room, where the ex-Chairman sat opposite to them at a rectangular table. Three chairs had been provided, which they all sat in, with Leon at the direct opposite to Rose. The man smiled warmly at the purple-haired trainer, as if greeting an old friend. Jenny shut the door and stood at the rear, releasing her Growlithe—just in case.

"Hello, Leon. It's been quite a while, hasn't it? I've heard you've been doing well with Rose—sorry, _Battle_ Tower. Smart using my legacy and changing it to better suit Galar and its people. You always were their man, even after losing your title. I've always admired that about you. That spark you had—the one I saw when I chose to endorse you all those years ago," he spoke, all smiles and pleasantry, but Cassandra knew his type. Businessman. Leader. Schemer. Liar. An Arbok. Only, there _was_ some sincerity there, and that surprised her. He wasn't a Giovanni or Cyrus. He certainly wasn't Ghetis. No, for all the terrible things he did, he did mean the praise. Still, she disliked him already. 

Leon didn't care for it at all as she growled, "You say that, and yet you betrayed me— _use_ d me. You could have destroyed Galar!"

"Ah, but I didn't, did I? Because I knew you would succeed... or, well, you were _supposed_ to. _You_ were meant to catch Eternatus, but whether it was you or the girl, it matters not. Things went as was planned, and now that power is available for Galar to use," he hummed, leaning back. Even in an orange jump-suit, he exuded the aura of power, of a man in control. "At least, I assume so. You have Eternatus in the Power Station, right? That was the plan after capture—so that we could use it's wild energy to power our home for an eternity."

"You'd enslave a Pokémon like that?" Cassandra couldn't help grounding out, and Rose regarded her a moment.

"Odd. I don't know you, my dear, but to answer your question: yes, I would. Eternatus was sealed before, and for good reason. It is a Pokémon of wild, untamed energy, and it is only because young Gloria and Hop defeated and captured it that we can prevent that wild energy from destroying everything. And now we can power Galar for ages. The only way for that, of course, is to utilize it as a power source. It would be such a waste otherwise, and we certainly can't let it run _wild_. It's why we had a Darkest Day nearly a second time. Eternatus is as much a Pokémon as it is just pure energy. It needs to be contained."

"How can you—," Leon snapped, but reigned himself in. His hands clenched and he grit his teeth. He shut his eyes for a moment, Raihan and Cassandra glancing to him. When they opened once more the golden orbs were more steady. "You were involved with Swordward and Shieldbert."

It wasn't a question, and Rose didn't feign ignorance.

"I am."

"Don't you mean 'was'?" Raihan mused, glaring a little. Cassandra had to say, in the right setting, that shade of blue could be rather intimidating.

"I suppose that would be correct, although the game is still being played. There is no sure victor, and there are still many roles for _you_ to play, Leon. Your little brother and dear Gloria, too. After all, she is Eternatus' trainer. It accepted her. Now, only she may command and properly control its power without some kind of aid. And let's not forget how they summoned those legendary Pokémon..."

The Gym Leader's yes narrowed, "What do you know?"

"What will you give me?" he smiled, head tilting.

" _Nothing,_ you arrogant son of a—!" Leon snapped again, standing up. Raihan grabbed his arm like a vice, a harsh, silent look telling him to calm down. Reluctantly, the purple-haired man obeyed, but his fist still shook. "How can you say that? After _everything_? How long have you been using me? The League? For—for _this_? To have these two _insane_ men rule over Galar? Do you _honestly_ think they'll be good for this country? It's people?"

Rose laughed, "Arceus, no! They are delusional, that is certain."

Leon balked, "Then why would you help them!? They almost killed my friends, they've kidnapped Hop and Gloria, and they could still do worse!"

"We had an alignment of goals, is all. I wished to obtain an infinite energy source, they directed me to Eternatus and how to ensure the plan worked, and I gave them a means to access the two Pokémon they so desired."

"The two you talked about?" Cassandra inquired, glancing to her friend.

The young man frowned, "Zacian and Zamazenta. Why?"

"Something about showing the 'truth of things' and 'returning to glory' or some such nonsense. I couldn't care less so long as I achieved my own ends, and I have."

"So why keep helping them? You'd do just as well telling us what you know without asking for something in return," the redhead pressed, watching him carefully. He laughed again.

"Because although I may be a prisoner, my dear, I am still a _businessman_. I do nothing without some sort of profit, and this is no different. I will tell you all I know about their plans, but you must give _me_ something in return."

The trio looked between one another. Leon refused to answer, and Raihan didn't seem to know what exactly to give. Cassandra looked back to Jenny, but she only watched coolly, simply an observer. The redhead inwardly groaned. She knew how this would go.

"You want freedom—a reduced sentence, don't you?" she asked, and the man's eyes lit up.

"Oh, you're quick, aren't you? Of course I do! I didn't save Galar's energy crisis just to sit back and waste away in a cell! I expect to see the fruits of my labor."

"Can it be done, Jenny?" Raihan inquired. Her face said no—or rather, she didn't want to—but she sighed.

"Technically, yes. Despite his heinous crimes against the _entire_ region... giving information that would _help_ the entire region would... look good. We could see he get some years redacted. Perhaps even early release so he can see the country he nearly _destroyed_."

The redhead quickly added, " _Without_ benefits. No access to your assets. No titles. You walk out an ordinary man, among other conditions required for former criminals."

Rose hummed, "Fair, but... I will never be _ordinary_ , my dear. Not when I'm remembered in the history books, good or _bad_. I will die peacefully, knowing I was able to save my the region that I love."

"Then talk, and we'll see it done," Raihan growled, not liking this one bit.

" _If_ what you say proves useful—so I suggest you be truthful," Cassandra added quickly, gaze firm.

"Very well," Rose smiled, sitting up straighter now. "I would like it in writing, however—approved and signed by Officer Jenny along with all parties in the room."

Indeed, a businessman.

"Ya gotta be kiddin—."

"Words mean very little, Raihan, compared to a legally binding document. Officer Jenny's authority counts along with yours as a Gym Leader. You are both considered representative of the League, meaning your signature is binding. Leon and his lady friend here, are simply witnesses since he is no longer Champion. All we need is a pen and paper to write the terms."

She glanced to Leon, whom glared daggers into the table. Underneath, his hands clenched tight. She reached over, but it did little good. His shoulders only shook. Raihan noticed, too, and let out an exasperated sound. He looked to Jenny and gestured with his head. A disgusted look came over her, but she pulled out her notepad and pen.

She didn't bother to hold the displeasure from her voice, "'It is agreed here today that you, Rose, will be granted a reduced sentence with conditions as required for released criminals to be fully determined later but not hindering your potential release or satisfaction of life should the information you provide prove useful in both stopping and aiding in the arrest of the criminals, Swordward and Shieldbert, by the authority of Officer Jenny III and Raihan, Hammerlocke Gym Leader and League representative'. Satisfied?"

"It will do. Now, please, let us all sign it so I may begin," he beamed, and, with a great deal of reluctance on their end, they signed the paper. Cassandra wanted to slap the smug look off his face, and she could tell Leon wanted to do a lot worse. He was holding it together, though, by some miracle.

Once Officer Jenny reclaimed her notebook, Rose began, "Swordward and Shieldbert are, indeed, delusional. They believe the legends of old are really _them_ —or rather, their ancestors and are therefore _entitled_ to that same glory. But we have since discovered the truth thanks to Hop and Gloria, as your little professor friend Sonia wrote in her book. Quite the well-done piece, but it's no wonder the two would-be kings acted now. The book tarnishes their reputation, or, rather, the one they _wish_ to have. They're trying to fix it, which means they're making their move now rather than later. I imagine it's also because they've been unable to get their hands on the Pokémon's' relics, yes?"

Leon finally ground out, "Yes."

"Then that's why they're making bold moves. Unfortunately for _you_ all... they have followers all over Galar, people swayed over by their nonsense and believing their rise to power will grant them power of their own—promises of being raised to nobility for their loyalty. It's all quite pitiful, really. But, alas, greed is a good way to buy loyalty, however temporary, and you have nothing better to offer them. I can't say _how_ many followers they have, but enough to be troublesome if you don't ready yourselves."

"The Gym Leaders and League are prepared to fight."

" _Most_ of the League. They have a few followers there too, though their loyalty is fleeting at best. You would be wise to reclaim the relics and summon the legendary Pokémon. After all, the two men most likely plan to unleash Eternatus once more, or at least use its energy."

"For what purpose?" Raihan snarled. "Do they want to rule a ruined country, too!?"

"Oh, no, no. I suppose I should clarify. They want to unleash its _energy_ , but in smaller, controlled doses. That was where _you_ were supposed to come in, Leon. You were supposed to fall under their wing after capturing Eternatus and help them unleash that would energy to draw the legendary Pokémon out again after I finished with the Darkest Day to awaken them. Obviously, your failure and the relics being returned poses an issue to that plan. They need all of the pieces to succeed and have the country revere them as rulers—or rather, heroes, just as we used to think the legend said."

Cassandra frowned, puzzled, "How would the warrior Pokémon help?"

Rose shrugged, "They didn't say, only that they needed them to show the truth, of which they didn't elaborate. But it has to do with those two Pokémon heroes. You would do well to seek them out, as I stated earlier."

"That sounds like bad advice—coming from you, mate," the gym leader sneered.

"And yet, it is your best bet. They are your _only_ trump cards. Either _you_ will hold them, or _they_ will, and if they do that, you will lose," the older man smiled oh-so-sweetly, eyes on Leon. Cassandra hated that kind of smile. It was hiding too much and planning too many things. She was starting to think he knew _all_ of this would happen, but that was too generous. The man was certainly brilliant, though. He was taking everything they gave him and connecting the dots almost perfectly. She honestly didn't want to see him get free.

Yet, at the same time, she had a feeling he meant what he said. He just wanted to, essentially, retire, and watch the land prosper, so sure he had saved it.

And he thought the two wanna be kings were delusional?

She hated people like him, and she'd make sure he never got to retire anywhere near home so long as she could help it. Based on their expression, she knew everyone else felt the same.

"I think we have what we came for," Raihan mused, glancing to Leon, who had yet to speak again.

"It's something, anyways. We need to get those Pokémon before them. You have our... _appreciation_ , Mr. Rose," she replied coolly. 

The man smiled sweetly as he nodded, "Of course, Ms...?"

"I'd rather not say, no offense," she smiled back even more sweetly, and he chuckled, amused. She disliked him even more. Raihan stood up then, and she did the same. Their third companion remained still, so she touched his shoulder. "Leon?"

His head finally lifted, and he met Rose's gaze. The ex-chairman kept that smile of his up, though she swore there was a flicker of something more. Contempt, perhaps? Or pleasure knowing her friend had played his part well, though not quite perfectly? Or enjoyment for his anguish?

"Was I just a pawn to you?" the young man finally muttered, and she saw Rose's brow raise. Briefly, his smile softened, but then returned to normal.

"Not at first—not until I was sure you could do it," he replied. "Not until I knew you could capture Eternatus. A miscalculation on my part, but you played a role all the same. Just not the one I meant for you. Still, it's thanks to you that _Gloria_ became the one that I—that _Galar_ needed. So, thank-you, Leon. You were a wonderful Champion. It is a great shame your time is over. An era of greatness... ended."

"Leon, don't listen to this piece of shit. Come on. He's just messing with your head," his rival growled, putting a hand to his chest, urging him to go with them. The purple-haired man looked as though he might resist, so Cassandra moved to his side, ensuring her back was to Rose, and touched his hand out of sight.

"Leon, don't give him the satisfaction," she whispered. "He's not worth it. We have to focus on saving your brother and Gloria now and getting those relics."

That finally broke his stupor and he looked between her and Raihan, whom nodded. The young man shot a glare at Rose, who looked quite amused with it all. They ignored it, though, turning and leaving the man where he sat. Officer Jenny was all too happy to lock the door and lead them back to the surface where she returned their Pokémon and ID cards. All the while, Leon remained quiet, rage and hurt swirling in him. He felt like a fucking fool and couldn't stop the desire to punch the wall and tear something apart.

It didn't go unnoticed.

As soon as they passed the bridge from the main castle, Leon reached for his Charizard, ready to get going. Only, Raihan grabbed the same arm in a vice-grip, so he turned on him, snatching the taller man's jacket by the collar to bring his rival right down to his face.

"What the _fuck_ do you want, Raihan!?" he snarled loud enough to draw some attention.

The taller man didn't even flinch, eyes hard as steel as he spoke, voice firm, "Stopping you from you from doing something stupid, mate. I get it. That piece of shit got to you, and now you want to do something to make yourself feel better. Only, you're pissed. Really fucking _pissed._ And you do stupid shit when you're pissed. So I'm telling you right now, either you stop going for your Charizard or I'm going to pin you down and _make_ you stop. You know I can. You might be able to beat me in a Pokémon battle, but I'm bigger _and_ stronger than you. We both know how a scuffle is gonna go between us."

"Yeah, well I don't _care_ what you—"

"Leon, _stop_. He's _right_ , and you know it," Cassandra interrupted and when he spun to glare at her next, her hands met his face, cupping both sides. He stopped, not so much for the action, but that it forced him to see her eyes. There, he saw it. The understanding.

He remembered her story.

Yes. She did know, didn't she? _Really_ knew. 

"Don't do something you'll regret, Leon. Don't be like me."

He wasn't sure he was that strong, though. He didn't know if he could it, but she was right. Because she knew. She _knew_. This was how she'd felt when her friend had died. She'd wanted to do anything and everything to get back at the one who hurt him, and it only ended up making all of it worse.

Shaking, Leon relaxed his arms, and Raihan, after a double check, let go. He sighed and clapped his rival's shoulder gently.

"Come on, you need a place to lay low and cool off, so you can both stay at mine. I need to use my guest rooms for once, anyways. We can have an early dinner on me, too. Y'all look starved."

"Can't refuse the Gym Leader's hospitality. It's bad manners," the redhead grinned, and Leon did his best half smile. She squeezed his hand. "Come on."

The young man squeezed back, and almost didn't let go when she started to move. At the last second he let her touch slip away, paused to inhale slowly, and then followed after.

\---------------------

Cassandra sighed as she paced the hall back to Raihan's kitchen. She could still smell the lingering aroma of dinner from hours ago—a delicious roast with vegetables that had filled her stomach in a way it hadn't been in quite a while. Sonia had provided back in Postwick, of course, but this had been a step up, and Raihan was good company. He was far livelier and more interactive than the ginger. He could be a bit of a tease and an insatiable flirt, but it was in good taste and they talked a lot about Pokémon, too. Of course, they did eventually delve into what they planned to do. Mostly it was about returning home first thing tomorrow morning and checking in with Sonia. Then they'd see about obtaining the relics. It may not be possible without Hop and Gloria, but Leon _had_ gotten through without them before, although technically they'd been in the woods at the time. So, it wasn't entirely hopeless. Regardless, they would go; the fate of Galar depended on their success, but only after they slept well and filled their bellies, which Raihan made sure of. He was a good host, after all, and would support their endeavors by keeping a good eye on Eternatus and the other out for any spies.

Things settled down after that, a few beers shared—Cassandra opted for a glass of wine for lack of sake—and then it was decided they should rest. It was around then the redhead recalled how quiet Leon had been, not speaking much and hardly cracking a joke. It had been worrisome, but he only brushed it off when he bid goodnight. She might have pressed, but she was tired herself, and her headache was acting up again. The aftereffects of Screech, especially so many in a row, were a bitch, and she was eternally grateful when Raihan mentioned where he kept pills to relieve the pain. It was supposed to be fast-acting, but she didn't keep her hopes up even as she downed the tiny tab with water.

She was going to head back to her room, and maybe check back on Leon on the way, but stopped to do a double take. Speak of the Houndoom—there was the very person she worried about, outside on the balcony of the living room. The moonlight gave him a strange, morose glow, or perhaps that was just his slumped shoulders as he leaned forward on the marble railing. As she got closer, she could see him shaking, fists clenched so tight they might bleed. Her chest tightened along with her throat. He should never have ended up like this. She couldn't leave him like that. No one should endure it alone—not like she let herself.

Softly, she called out, "Leon."

He jerked, spinning with eyes wide. She could believe he might have been crying with frustration, but she soon realized he'd turned to violence instead—there were small, dark stains on the railing. She sighed, coming over to take his hand and look. Sure enough, he'd scraped and opened the skin, most likely from punching. Nothing terrible, but she bet it stung. His gaze fell, but she just smiled and tapped his hand, mumbling for him to "hold on". He watched her trot back inside, rummage through Raihan's "First Aid" drawer, and brought out band-aids, antibacterial wipes, and Neosporin. There were two chairs by a patio table, and it was to there she ushered him. He did as bid, and she went about cleaning the wound—he winced, much to her bemusement—and added the ointment and bandages.

"There," she hummed, and he sat back, silent again for a time. She let him be, watching the changes in his features, until, at last, he closed his eyes and let out a deep breath through his nose.

"Sorry. I... I didn't..."

"It's okay. I told you, I know."

"Then you know why."

"Yeah, and it's why I know you don't need to be alone—or hurt yourself. It's not your fault."

"Except it is. I was too stupid to see what Rose was up to—I _believed_ him all this time... and I was just a... a _pawn_ _!_ He _used_ me! And I trusted him. He... He always believed in me, too. Or—or I thought he did, but—it... it was all just a lie!" he rasped, the lid suddenly popped and all of it coming out. There was just no stopping it, and he wasn't sure he wanted to—not if it was her listening. "And if he was lying, then what else is a lie? Was I ever meant to be Champion? Were all my wins a lie? Is that why Gloria won? Because I was a sham? A _frau_ d? Is that why I couldn't stop Eternatus? Was I just deluding myself all this time? And what am I even doing with the Battle Tower? It's all just some stupid attempt to hide my failures. But I _can't._ I'm not a Champion anymore. I'm not sure I ever was."

"Rose using you doesn't mean you were any less a great trainer. Or a Champion. You beat all those people on your own, and that was before he thought you could stop Eternatus. That was _you_."

He laughed, "How can you be sure? You weren't here. You're not Galarian. You haven't been here since I became champion at _ten_. Who even can do that? And then stay undefeated for another decade? It's not plausible."

"But it did happen—because you have a bond with your Pokémon that most only dream of. You trained hard every single waking moment, and even now you try hard at everything you do. You try hard at the Tower, you tried hard when you faced Swordward. You tried even harder to save my life, putting your own on the line, and you definitely tried hard today when you saved me _again_. And with Rose, too. I know you wanted to hit him, but you didn't."

"I let him get to me, though. I let him get under my skin. I tried to ignore him, but he just... 'Cas I... I _trusted_ him. Completely. I did everything I could to make him proud when he endorsed me—the _first_ one to do so... and he was... and just... I don't know what's real anymore. And I hate him for it. I hate myself for hating him. It's pathetic."

"Maybe... but so is running away from your problems like a coward," she smiled gently, reaching over to take his hand. "Like me."

"Says the one who saved a stranger in the middle of a blizzard and keeps helping his stupid ass."

"Says the idiot who keeps saving my life right back and cheering me up the same," she smirked back, and he laughed, somewhat sincerely. Part of it was choking back a sob of his own. Not so unlike her before.

They really were alike, weren't they?

"It's okay to be angry at him. We were both justified in our anger... but this time I'm not going to let you make _my_ mistake. So... instead of beating the railing or running away, you can talk to me or Raihan or Sonia or whoever. I can't always promise good advice, but I promise I'll listen. I'm your friend, Leon. And I wish I'd had someone like you—one I could trust to understand."

"Guess I was a little late. My bad," he snickered, and finally grasped her hand back.

"You were a little busy, so don't worry."

"I just... I wish I wasn't so angry—that I could be genuinely _happy_ Gloria won. I want to be happy for her; to be happy fighting in the Tower. Because I love Pokémon and battling. I do. I love training and getting stronger and bringing out the very best in my Pokémon and other trainers. I want to see everyone in Galar become great, but... right now... I just... I'm _angry_. At him. At _myself_. At losing. Failing. Hop's captured now. Gloria, too. You got hurt. Twice! Galar is in danger. It's... so much."

"Which is why you've got your friends to help you. Including me. And I put _myself_ in danger, thank-you very much. I didn't need _your_ help for that. So, you can take that off the list. Hop being captured wasn't you, either. That's on those conniving, crazy assholes. Yeah, you weren't there to help, and we can't change that, but now we're going to do something about it. I'd only say you're at fault if you gave up, and there's no way you will.

She paused to make sure he was looking at her, "Seriously, Leon, you only fail if you give up. That's what made _me_ a failure, so you best believe I won't let you do the same. The anger, though... that's something you'll have to get over with time—probably with venting. But it's easier with friends, so don't push them away or run, either. Because you'll just get worse and worse until it ruins you. And I guess... just remember—Rose didn't make you great. _You_ did. And believe me, 'cause I didn't even know about Rose being your endorser until just now. I hadn't even met him until today either, so all I've seen is _you_ being great in your own way. And now that you have a full team, well...I'm expecting a 'champion time'."

The words made him laugh, and suddenly the walls were broken and he kept laughing and laughing until tears came streaming down. He pushed his face into his hand, still laughing as he cried behind his palm. She stood up to come beside him and wrapped her arms around his head, pulling him close. He latched onto her, laughing turning to muffled sobs, shoulders shaking again. She let him pour it out just as he had done for her.

Strange, she couldn't help thinking, how it was that it took someone they'd only just gotten to know, but empathized so much with, to finally help to loosen the locks and bounds on the pain they'd kept hidden. But perhaps that's what made it so easy—two not-so-strange strangers understanding one another. No past lives together to hold things back; just an unknown future that may or may not have them still entwined, but forever bound by a common experience. Strange how it was a shared pain could bring a bit of peace.

So, she held him there, as long as he needed before he decided to pull away. He had done the same for her, and she was honored and glad it was him. She wasn't sure if anyone else could have understood the same.

"I'm okay. For now," he chuckled, his hand falling from her back, but stopping at her hand, which he held tight—like a lifeline. She held it back.

"And that's okay. We can stay here as long as you need," she spoke softly, refusing to move.

"No, it's fine. We need to sleep. We have a big day tomorrow," he chuckled, finally pushing up from his seat. Their hands parted and she led the way to the door. She almost passed the threshold, when he called out. "'Cas?"

She turned around, ready to ask what, but it was cut off as he suddenly embraced her, pulling her tight to him, and burying his face into her neck. She stood, stupefied for a moment before returning the embrace, wrapping her arms around his back.

"Thank-you. I promise I'll do better," he murmured.

"I'll hold you to it—so long as you do the same for me."

He chuckled, "Deal."

He let her go then, his smile more genuine than before, and bid her goodnight. Cassandra watched him go, her chest aching. She wanted to go to him—to embrace him again. To never let go. She wanted to feel his arms around her again.

It was just the emotions talking, though, so she just chuckled at the foolishness of it, and slipped back to her room. All the while they were unaware a figure watched from behind a slightly opened door, a pleased, toothy smile on his face. 

**\------------------------**

_**TMWolf:** Yeah, Raihan ships it ┬┴┬┴┤ ͜ʖ ͡°) ├┬┴┬┴_

_So. Lots of heavy duty stuff there with Leon. The game doesn't go in-depth and makes him seem okay, but I didn't really think so to be honest, especially as you keep fighting him in Battle Tower. But can you blame him? You become Champion at 10 and stay that way for 10 or more years. Losing to another kid YOU endorsed at that is rough. He's never lost before, too, so it's not easy to deal with, and on top of that Rose, the man who first endorsed him, betrays him? Then the kid that beats you also saved the day where YOU couldn't?_

_Yeah, nah. Nah. Leon's got to be hurting. That's what I thought, anyways._

_But Cassandra is here to help be a rock for him, just as he's been a light for her. :D_

_So. Yeah. Get ready for next chapter. Y'all been waiting for it xD_

**NOW TIME FOR FRIDGE ART AW YEAH**

**HELLA DEAD BUT I'M MORE THAN OKAY**

And then I have some own fluff to show you guys xD

Kinda my first proper fanart of Leon and my self ship uvu I have way more of course

Ironically happy fanart for a sad chapter lol


	11. Trials

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys this is the chapter you been waiting for >:) Adding in the chapter cover I made this time because while it's hella sketchy I still liked it xD And, yeah, we going after the doggos

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"Alright, I'll see you two later. Don't you worry about things here, I've got it handled," Raihan yawned, the hour way too early if he did say so himself. He was used to sleeping in longer, but Cassandra and Leon needed to leave sooner rather than later. Time was of the essence, and they had relics to find. So he was kind enough to fetch them breakfast at 6 AM and escort them back to the courtyard they'd arrived in to bid them farewell.

"Thanks, Raihan. I owe you one," the purple-haired man chuckled as he adjusted the hoodie his rival had provided. They didn't have extra clothes, so the dark-skinned man insisted they take his "old ones" since he never wore them anymore and his sponsors kept sending him new gear every week anyways. So, there they were, Leon in an outfit that made him almost look like a teenager again, and her in a jacket that definitely hadn't fit Raihan in years along with sweat pants that definitely were probably last worn when he was a kid. Considering he was a towering foot or more taller than her; she would believe it.

"Seriously, remind me to pay you back when I come visit," the redhead chuckled, tightening the string on her pants.

He winked, "You can always take me out to dinner."

"And let me guess: a walk under the moonlight, too?" she hummed, brow raised.

"Careful now, that sounds like a date. Not that I'd mind, love. But I suggest just dinner—lest I might end up in some trouble," he cooed, not bothering to hide his glance at Leon, whom huffed and glared back. Cassandra didn't miss it and couldn't help thinking Leon was jealous.

But that meant he liked her.

Which was silly, and she definitely wasn't blushing about it nor her heart racing.

Nope. Not at all.

"Right, so. Just dinner. Right. Sure. Leon, let's head out," she spoke quickly, moving over to Charizard, who was eagerly waiting for them. Leon moved to follow, but paused when Raihan called out in a hushed tone. He turned back, brow raised as his old-time rival came closer and motioned towards the redhead with a nod.

"So... you gonna ask her out soon or what?" he smirked, and had to stifle a laugh when Leon's face went red. "Or should I slip in and steal her from ya? She is pretty cute. Got a nice laugh, pretty hair and smile—."

"Raihan, cut it out! Don't be—!"

"What? Ridiculous? C'mon, mate. I've seen how y'all two been since you first got here, including last night on the balcony," he smirked, enjoying his rival's embarrassment.

"That's—that was—."

He clapped Leon's shoulder, toothy grin worse with each word, "I _know_ you, 'Lee. I've only been your rival since we started our Gym Challenge, and you've _never_ given a girl so much as a second glance—or been so jealous. You _like_ her. And, frankly, I'd say she likes you, too. She barely looked at me last night, and that's saying something."

The purple-haired man didn't reply, either from embarrassment or trying to deny it without being able to, he couldn't say. So Raihan just shrugged.

"Word of advice, don't wait when you know what you want—just go for it, or you might miss it."

"But... I mean—I've only actually known her a few weeks..." Leon mumbled. 

He raised a brow, "And? I got mates happily married that fell in love at first sight. Doesn't matter so long as the connection's there. Anyways, just some friendly love advice from your one and only rival and number one lover in all of Galar. So go make your move, else I'll have to come in and steal her away and show her a 'champion time' of my own."

Raihan left that there with a wink and a laugh, which Leon could only glare in kind to. Honestly, what was he thinking? Although, then again, if what he said was true—that she did like him, then maybe it wasn't so crazy. Still, it had been barely any time since they'd met. And yet, if he thought about it, it felt longer. He trusted her deeply—more than he thought he would or could. He felt comfortable and like he could be himself, and that he could be better with her. She made him laugh and feel good and warm. 

So was it really so strange?

"Hey, you comin'?" Cassandra called out, jerking him from his stupor.

"Yeah, sorry," he chuckled, walking over just as she slipped onto Charizard's, sitting forward this time. Her companion hefted himself up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist right away. She couldn't decide if she disliked how fast her heart beat at his touch or not.

"Hey, now, aren't you facing the wrong way, 'Cas? Pretty sure Leon prefers the opposite!" Raihan teased, his trademark toothy grin _still_ plastered on his face. The redhead turned beat red, and so did Leon, who shot a glare.

"Shut up!" he snapped and urged Charizard with his leg to take off. The lizard roared with a laugh of his own and shot into the sky. Finally, up high, they steadied out, and he brought his mouth close to her ears. He subdued the delight he felt having her pressed against him as he spoke loud enough to hear over the wind, "Sorry about him! He can be a dick."

"He's a good guy. I can see why you're friends!" she laughed back, turning slightly to look back at him. "He likes to tease."

"Yeeeah, he does... especially when he's right," he chuckled, then added quickly, "uh—that is—I mean—!"

"You liked me straddling you that that much, huh?" she snickered. Leon recalled Raihan's words, and, to her surprise, he decided to not tease back.

"What if I did?"

Her heart skipped a beat.

"You... did?" she questioned, looking back at him. He glanced away, his cheeks red. Dammit, what was Raihan doing to him, giving him stupid advice like that!

"I mean... yeah. I—if you didn't..."

"No—no, I, um, I did. Too. I may have meant it when I said it."

She felt his arm tighten a little as he coughed, "So, um... what does that mean?"

Oh, they knew very well what that _meant_. Rather, she had a feeling it was just his way of asking if they should go forward with where that question led. It was a good thing to ask, too, because she wasn't entirely sure herself. It'd been so long since she'd been involved with anyone, and she'd come to Galar to escape people. But should couldn't deny it anymore: she was attracted to him. _Badly_. Both physically and mentally. Yet—was it true interest and feelings, or was it just heightened emotions by their situation? Or was she just overthinking it all? It was so hard to tell.

"I... think we should definitely talk about it. At some point. Soon," she replied, her cheeks burning and not from the wind. Again, his chin rested over her shoulder, and suddenly that had a lot more meaning.

"I look forward to it."

She did, too.

The flight became excruciatingly slow, despite only being an hour at most. His touch seemed like so much more now and the arm around her waist was always on her mind. When he would speak it would make her heart race; any tease made her thoughts go crazy. Surely, this was real affection? And he felt the same? How, though? He'd never shown interest in romance before, right? He had Sonia, but he didn't act like this with her, right? And did she really like him? She didn't want to lead him on. Was attraction enough? What about when everything was over? She wasn't even from Galar, so wouldn't it be weird to have a Johto-jin girlfriend?

Cassandra was finally able to breathe some again once they landed, and yet she lamented his arm slipping away as he slid off. He was waiting for her, though, hand held out to take hers. She gave it, slipping off into his grasp. He let his hands linger on her hips, eyes locked with hers. Her cheeks burned a bright shade of pink and her heart pounded hard. Arceus help her—what was this?

Charizard chuffed, nudging them both. They might be caught up in a stupor, but _he_ was not, and not only were they were exposed outside, he was tired from that flight. They hadn't decided to be cautious, which meant even though they landed in the back, they should hurry inside Sonia's house, which they did after exchanging sheepish smiles. She was waiting for them on the couch, and they were able to recount their tale—excluding their moment on the balcony and flight, of course—and let her ponder on the new information they'd found. To their surprise--and dismay--she had information, too.

A video message. From the kings.

"They sent it last night—I woke up to it this morning. They talked about the incident at the Tower, so they definitely know you have your Pokémon back and are alive and well. They're demanding the relics in exchange for Hop and Gloria's safety," she explained as she played the video for them.

It was, at the beginning, just a screen showing off the brother in red, Swordward not around apparently—perhaps still recovering since the brother kept saying "we". They went over the very same demands Sonia pointed out, and then showed Hop and Gloria in cells. His little brother briefly saw the screen and started shouting before changing to the Champion, who only glared back. Then the camera returned to Shieldbert, who relayed his demands once more.

Leon cursed and slammed a hand against the wall, " _Bastards!_ "

"They're forcing our hand," the ginger grimaced, shaking her head. "But they also gave a hint—I've been working on tracking where the video call came from. It's... difficult, though. There's a lot of things getting in the way of the reading, but with more time I can get it."

"We need to get those relics then—and not just because they want them for an exchange. If we hold that card, we hold an advantage, especially if we can convince the Pokémon to help us," Cassandra added, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

Sonia nodded, "We should be able to get to them. I think. I've never gone without Hop or Gloria, who kind of had a free pass, I guess you could say. Or something like that. But we should be alright. How soon should we head out?"

"No, you stay here. And stay hidden—the 'Kings' know we're back and we can assume they know we're going for the relics, so they might come back here. I'm surprised they haven't yet," Leon frowned with the shake of his head. "So you need to keep low. You only have Yamper with you now, which means he's all you got to protect yourself."

Sonia frowned back, "I'm plenty fine with just Yamper, Leon. I can take care of myself. Besides, I don't see you telling _Cassandra_ to stay."

"Because she has her full team with her! She can fight against the the Pokémon in the Weald and the King's goons just fine and has before. Your Yamper _can't_. Sonia, please, we need you here to find where they have my brother and Gloria, too. And more importantly, I don't want to see one of my best friends to get hurt."

" _Too late,"_ she grumbled under her breath, and glowered. "Whatever. _Fine_. I'll stay behind like _always_. Not like you cared what I thought before, so why would you now? You always do what you want."

"What—Sonia!" he began, but the ginger stalked off.

"Just get going! You're wasting time, aren't you?"

"But..." Leon tried, shoulders sagging.

Cassandra hadn't been sure before, but she was now. Sonia _liked_ Leon. Had it been reciprocated once? Or no? She hoped not and hated how selfish of her that was. And yet, she would be glad if Leon never had feelings for the woman.

"I, uh, guess we should... go? Our Pokémon should be alright, and I have potions for Charizard if he needs them," she coughed. He glanced to her, then back to where Sonia had gone. Regret was clear, but their mission was more important. He nodded with a sigh and led her out the back once more.

"We'll use Arcanine, if that's alright? We need to go by foot through the Weald, anyways, and we'll take the long way just in case someone is watching. That way they don't know we went in," he inquired.

She nodded, releasing her Pokémon, "Not a problem. Arc's been itching to run."

The Pokémon woofed in affirmation, and let them slip on, Cassandra in front and Leon behind as usual. Once more his arms wrapped around her, and she felt a thrill—but also uncertainty. It didn't feel quite the same as her doubts crept in. Maybe he didn't mean it; maybe she was just the newest thing. He had Sonia, after all, didn't he? Or was she just being paranoid?

She urged Arcanine into a sprint, following Leon's directions. They curved around the outside back to a final set of homes on the outskirts of the town. He asked to pause, staring at two houses in particular. He pointed to the one of the right; a tall, two-story abode that was twice as long as it was high. Their stone wall serving as a fence allowed for a wide backyard where a pond sat at the base of a tree, next to a small pitch.

"That's my home. And over there is Gloria's. We all used to play in the fields. Mom still keeps my room like I left it, ready for whenever I come home. I thankfully still fit in the bed," he chuckled, a touch of sadness there. "I was able to meet her for a little bit. She was mad, sad, and happy all at once—I thought she was going to wring me a new one! She's worried sick about Hop, but I told her we'd get him back safe. I made sure not to tell her what happened on the mountain—she'd _really_ kill me then!

He laughed lightly, then shifted to look at her a bit more, "I did mention you, though—how you saved me. She just said she was grateful _somebody_ was around to babysit me."

"Ouch! Although, she's not entirely wrong."

"Hey, don't be mean now. She wanted to meet my new 'friend', but I might just change my mind after that."

"Now, now, don't go pouting. A good son should never disappoint his mother, and, well, I'd love to meet her—your Mom. If that's okay?" she smiled back at him, and he nodded.

"Yeah. When this is over. She'll like you. She kinda does already. But, for now, let's keep moving. Head straight to the path over there, blocked by the gate. We'll be in the Slumbering Weald. It's covered in a dense fog that makes it hard to see, so it'll be a little slow going. The area closer to town has weak Pokémon, but they get a lot tougher further in, hence why I told Sonia to stay back. We might have to team up on some."

"So, I finally get to see the Champion in action, huh?"

She felt his chest rumble with a laugh, "Something like that."

Arcanine's paws were quick, and they sprinted through the shallow grass, passing by countless small Rookidees and Skwovets in the Weald. She imagined other Pokémon roamed, but nothing bothersome. Truthfully, the fog was the worst part, but her Pokémon stayed true, sniffing out the path when it got too thick to see far. It lessened as they came to a bridge, but it was also where Leon urged her to stop.

"We should go by foot, but keep Arcanine out. He'll be good here. I'll switch up mine as needed, but Rhyperior should do for now."

"Not Charizard?"

"Wouldn't want Arcanine to feel bad," he winked, to which she laughed. Her Pokémon, however, huffed, and made barks at the young man before turning his attention to Rhyperior as he emerged, whom grunted at the fire-type. It was a type-advantage over hers, but her Pokémon recognized it as Leon's, and so just sniffed and made a welcoming yip. The bulky Pokémon grunted again and walked ahead of their two trainers cautiously. Arcanine trotted to the front, sensing for danger with his nose and ears. Cassandra kept close to Leon, glancing his way when she felt she could. His gaze was ahead, and he hadn't spoken yet. She honestly didn't want to do so first, but she couldn't help her growing curiosity.

That, and they _did_ need to talk.

"So. Um," she started, couching awkwardly. She couldn't help blushing some when Leon looked her way. "Is.... Are you... what is... What's Sonia to you? Er—that is... what's... with you two?"

He blinked, confused at first, but then grinned in realization. She blushed more, wishing she'd just kept quiet. He chuckled, though his expression grew sad as he recalled earlier.

"She's one of my best friends from childhood. I've known her since forever. She's always been head strong like that and hated being left out on the journey. It's ironic, though, since she did drop out to pursue other things. But that stubbornness can make it tough—like back there. She's my friend, and I care about her. I don't want to see her hurt, too. I know she hates it, but..."

Cassandra stared a moment, bringing their Pokémon to a stop, "Leon... you... Did you not know she likes you?"

His bewilderment was the answer she needed. She groaned, pushing her face into her hands, and got them moving again. He pondered on the news longer, and sighed a little, running a hand through his locks.

"I guess that... makes a lot of things make sense," he sighed.

"Did... Do you like her, too?"

"To be honest? No—I didn't. Haven't. Don't. I... I was always so focused on being Champion I never cared about girls or romance, and as I got older... well, I was a bit more interested, but I had no time. I guess... I just never noticed. She's always been kind of like a sister to me, too. Man, I'm a shitty friend. No wonder she's so pissed."

"I mean, it happens—we like who we like. Sometimes it's not the childhood friend or even the first crush," she shrugged, stopping when Arcanine did, her loyal companion sniffing cautiously. She was pulled from him, though, when she looked back, and there was Leon, gaze on her. She swallowed slowly.

He glanced away briefly, clearing his throat, "So, is, uh, there someone you like?"

"I, uh... y-yeeah," she responded, her voice trailing.

Disappointment flickered in his golden irises, "But...?"

"I just... I'm not sure if it's... _real?_ We've only known each other a few weeks—."

"So, it's _me_ , huh?" he smirked, and her cheeks went bright red. He had to admit, he liked when they did. She did it a lot more now, too, and he enjoyed every moment. It looked like Raihan was right, though, and that meant only one thing.

"Yes, it is, you, dork. But it... I just think it's been so quick and yeah, I'm sure as anything attracted to you what with that—that _body_ of yours because you're stupid handsome, and you're one of the nicest, most caring people I've met, and I've told you things I've never said to anyone before, but I just—it's been very... intense days. Emotions get heightened and—."

Before she could babble more, Leon cupped her cheek to turn her face towards him and kissed her. It was awkward and inexperienced, but it was tender and loving and right on the lips.

Shocks went through her, and whatever words were left were lost.

His grin was only a little sheepish, "Did that answer those questions?"

"I—uh, that is... you... kissed me."

"Yeah, I did. Figured that could settle it faster. And I'm not saying they're not good questions... it could be you're right, and this will wear off at some point... but right now, I know what I'm feeling. I like you, 'Cas. A _lot_. You're the first person I feel understands me, and, well, I think you're pretty 'stupid handsome', too."

She snorted, "Seriously, Leon? This isn't the fifteenth century. You _never_ call a woman handsome. Beautiful, maybe. Pretty for sure, but _handsome_?"

"Fine, _beautiful_. Better? I like you for that wit, too. And I want to take the chance it's real, and I think you do, too."

"Yeah, I do. This feels... different from the others, and it's like you said... I get you. You get me. I... you're the first person I told about N, too, and I don't mind it. So," she spoke softly, fingers fumbling in his hand, "I guess... what now?"

"Well, we get back to finding the relics... but without that lingering question hanging there."

"Right. The mission. Okay, but one more thing first," she replied, and he raised a questioning brow. She answered by suddenly reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him. She had a bit more experience so it wasn't quite so awkward. Rather, it was short, but sweet and sure of it's affection. She started to walk away as soon as it ended, leaving him momentarily stunned. Then Rhyperior grunted at him, pulling him back. He could swear his Pokémon rolled his eyes. He ignored it in favor of catching up to the fiery redhead he had come to like quite a bit. Only now, he was even more intent on keeping her safe and by his side.

The path cleared some as they pressed further in, enough so they could move a bit quicker, although they had to face wild Pokémon along the way. Arcanine and Ryperior were more than enough to handle them, though, working in tandum. There were some natural obstacles to overcome, but they managed those, too. Cassandra was pleasantly surprised to find Leon was more attentive than before; keeping close, helping steady her as needed; even taking her hand at times. It was sweet, to be honest. A bit odd for the sudden change, but perhaps it was just because they'd been so unsure before. None of her meager old flames—which was generous—ever treated her like this.

It was nice.

As they rounded a final bend and came to a long strength, Leon stopped her, stepping in front slightly. She watched him and her Arcanine carefully, the latter of which sniffed and quirked its ears. The fire-type wasn't on edge, though, and looked back at them. Cassandra touched Leon's arm, motioning with her head.

"It's safe. Arcanine's sure."

They moved forward together, still cautious, but there were no longer wild Pokémon. Rather, the path was clear of trouble with a stream to their left, trees to the right. The fog had begun to dissipate as well, and when it finally gave way completely, they were greeted with a glorious sight: sunlight, beaming down into the clearing, of which a lake had filled, glimmering gold in the sunshine. Rocks protruded through the surface, like monuments within the shimmering pool. As they ventured closer, dirt gave way to a terribly worn, cobble-stone path, and at the very end stood an altar—a tombstone-like structure beneath an arch upon a raised platform, and against the tombstone rest a shield and sword, rusted after centuries.

"This is it," Leon breathed, coming before the relics. Cassandra was right beside him, eyes wide as she looked around before returning to their targets.

"They're... a rusted sword and shield?"

"To us—but to the Pokémon, they're powerful weapons. They should come if we take them. I think."

"You think?" she balked, but he just shrugged, explaining that's how it happened before. She sighed as he stepped up before the sword. "Well, here goes nothing, I guess. Ready?"

He stepped up to the shield, "Ready."

They grabbed in unison, and she braced for something—anything—once she had it in her grasp. A second passed, then another. She looked to Leon, who shrugged again. Nothing then? Did the Pokémon require special circumstances to summon? She wasn't unaccustomed, of course, but still—she'd hoped for more.

"Look!" Leon suddenly shouted, pointing ahead.

In the middle of the lake, balls of light began to shine atop two rocks with rounded tops. They were blinded for a moment, then the glows faded, and in place of the lights were two, giant-sized Pokémon. They reminded her of Arcanine in terms of body, with long snouts, pointed ears, four legs, and long tails. They stood perhaps twice the height of her fire-type, and were a bit longer in length and leaner. Strong, golden, red-rimmed eyes, gazed at the group, and from their bodies an aura of majesty and power exuded—one she had seen many times before.

These were, without doubt, the legendary Pokémon.

"Zacian. Zamazenta," Leon breathed, and the two howled. The sword in her hand thrummed—was it calling out to the Pokémon? It had to be; it was a weapon for it, right? The young man put his hand out in front of her, urging her back as the Pokémon began to walk forward—right over water. She heeded his urging, as did their Pokémon, who remained tense and unsure, but not necessarily sensing danger.

The two legendary Pokémon approached them, the lighter-colored of the two coming to stand before her while the darker with more scars stood before Leon. Their eyes stared long and hard into them, and hers—Zacian, she understood, when her companion called the other by name—sniffed at her, taking in her scent. A bit unexpected, although Suicine had gazed into her eyes on their first meeting, too. The Pokémon circled her once, and, of all things, hummed.

Then it spoke.

_You are... special?_

"Wha—," Leon gasped, taking a small step back. He dared to think Zamazenta grinned at him for doing so.

"It's in our heads," Cassandra replied, eyes fixated on Zacian. Like the other legendaries she encountered, the voice carried a strangely both feminine and masculine tone that rang in her ears and filled her being. It was almost impossible to describe beyond that it was a feeling one could never forget. 

_You_ _speak_ _true, our words are meant for the heart. Strange, though... You have been touched by others like us—great beings of power. Many have touched you, in fact. Yet, you are weak_

What did _that_ mean? How could it know that? Did it—could the Pokémon see inside her mind?

_I see you for what you are, whelp, and I will not bow to one who is so feeble! If you come to claim my power you must prove your worth. Best me in battle, and I will acknowledge your prowess as those before you._

"You... want to fight? _Me_?"

_Are you of half-wit as well? Yes! Prove your worth! Show me you are a trainer who is worthy of my blade._

The rusted sword in her hands suddenly flared in power and vanished. The same light engulfed Zacian's form, and when it was done the once simple look was replaced with golden armaments reminding her of wings—and a long, golden sword painted with red and blue. It was massive, and the pressure of its power was great. It's golden eyes once again stared into her—to her soul.

_Face me, whelp. Or fall here._

"'Cas?!"

"I have to fight—to prove my worth," she rasped.

Leon exclaimed, " _What_! Hang on, I'll help—hey!"

She flashed a look over, and saw the Zamazenta one had blocked Leon's way, sharing some words she wasn't privy to. She was on her own then. If a legendary demanded something, they would have it, if only for their monstrous power, or perhaps the will of Arceus, she couldn't say. But this was her fight. Arcanine was with her, though; he pushed ahead, snarling and growling in challenge despite the pressure of Zacian's power. The legendary looked upon the Pokémon, and she swore she heard—or felt—it chuckling. Was it amused or pleased? It was impossible to tell.

 _Fight me like a warrior or run as a coward. Make your choice!_ The voice bellowed, and her Arcanine howled in response.

Like hell she was running. Not anymore. She was worried, yes, but Arcanine was willing to fight, and so would she.

She stepped back, giving him space, "Alright, Arc. It's you and me now. Watch out for that blade—utilize your agility. And to get it started—Extreme Speed!"

One moment her Pokémon was there, the next it vanished, appearing a distance away, and then disappeared again. It was as though it was teleporting, but it was only the mirage of its ability. Zacian couldn't seem to keep up, looking this way and that, a deep rumble in its throat.

"Now, Fire Fang!" she barked, and her Arcanine slammed into the Pokémon on its left, shoving it a step to the side. He opened his jaw wide, and bit down hard, unleashing hot flame directly onto the Pokémon's back. It howled in perhaps surprise and anger, bucking and working to shake Arcanine off. It finally slammed itself into a nearby section of trees, jarring its opponent free. With a snarl, it slashed down, but the fire-type was too quick, even without its speed move. However, the legendary was relentless despite the scorched fur on its back. It sliced, thrust, and struck at her Pokémon, forcing it this way and that.

"Flamethrower!"

Arcanine landed after another dodge and unleashed a torrent of fire from its belly. It hit Zacian head on, eliciting another snarl, but it kept strong, lowering its head so the armor there took the brunt. Most Pokémon would be singed and unable to fight after such a blow, but Zacian was no normal Pokémon. With a howl, the blade suddenly became engulfed in light and it swung its head, unleashing a wave of energy. It struck Arcanine square in the chest, sending him flying back. It was stunned by the sheer power of it, and Cassandra sprinted into a skidding stop as she whipped out a potion spray. Only, Zacian hadn't stopped. It kept coming, intent on slicing its blade once more. Arcanine began to rise, but it would be too late, and so Cassandra did perhaps the most foolish thing she could—she got in the way, arms spread to protect her Pokémon. The blade came down, and she closed her eyes in expectation of pain. Only, it didn't come.

Instead, a pair of arms engulfed her, holding her tight. It was Leon, shielding her in the only way he knew how, but even he hadn't been hit. A light flared from behind, and when they both turned to look, Zamazenta was in front of them, its form adorned in a massive shield-like armor that had blocked the sword. The weapon-wielding Pokémon snarled, backing off.

_What is the meaning of this, Brother?!_

The other Pokémon chuckled, _The pup has proven his worth; he would sacrifice himself for another even in the face of_ _ **your**_ _might, dear Sister—Just as a shield must do. I will stand with him in this fight and protect him and what he holds dear._

_Then I will not accept her. It must be by her own will!_

Leon thought quickly as he spoke up, "If you accept me, Zamazenta—does that mean as a trainer?"

 _Yes,_ the shield armored Pokémon chuckled again.

"Then, I place you in Cassandra's care—for this battle."

Zacian barked, _Preposterous_!

Zamazenta laughed _, He is just clever and protective. A suiting partner for myself, no?_

 _You have grown soft,_ the sword-bearer grunted, curling a lip.

_Perhaps, but you have also grown obstinate. If she uses me wisely, is that not proof of her skill?_

Zacian snorted, _Very well, then I shall not hold back. Come, whelp, show me all you have to give. Show me the strength_ _of_ _your bonds!_

Zamazenta looked to Cassandra, eyes as intense as it's "sister" Pokémon.

_I am yours to command, though I give this advice to heed, pup: let not what you know cloud your mind. This is a battle in which you must use_ _**all** _ _your strength._

"Right," she replied, not entirely sure what that meant. She was also at a loss as to what the enemy Pokémon could do or its weaknesses, but it did seem like Zacian was weak to fire. Only, it was so strong, the type advantage didn't make much of a difference. Worse still, its attack power was insane. Arcanine could have been seriously hurt form that sword, but now she had a shield—one that could take the brunt of the attack. She could tell Arcanine had been hit bad, though. He wouldn't be as fast as before. She needed more power to stop Zacian.

 _Have faith in yourself,_ the shield-bearer's voice spoke soothingly. 

_Enough!_ Zacian howled and lunged.

She shouted for Zamazenta to block while urging Arcanine, healed by the poiton, to follow up with a Flamewheel. The legendary hit, pushing the shield Pokémon back, but the attack had to be stopped short to dodge the fire type. As Cassandra thought, Arcanine alone wasn't enough, and the other Legendary wasn't trying to attack outside of her command—only defend. She wasn't even sure it had attacks then. She looked to Leon, who merely stood back and gave her encouraging words. She was tempted to ask to borrow his Rhyperior as well, but no. This was _her_ fight. She needed more power, though.

Wait.

What had Zamazenta said? What she knew? Clouding her mind? More power? _All_ her strength? He couldn't possibly mean—but, no. He had to.

"Tyranitar, let's go—Bulldoze it! Zamazenta, back off quick!" she bellowed. Her armored-skin Pokémon appeared with a roar, and began to stomp its feet upon the ground, surging power through it. The blow slammed into Zacian, staggering her for a moment. Arcanine went in on instinct, biting down to unleash fire once more. Zacian managed to throw her head back, shoving the hilt of the sword into the Pokémon's side hard enough to make him yelp. The legendary's eyes flashed and suddenly swords of light appeared, sparring and spinning in a kind of dance.

Swords Dance. She just boosted her power by a lot.

"Arcanine, pull back, Boltund, we need a shock wave—as strong as you can!" Cassandra hollered, unleashing her electrical companion, who raced forward. "Watch that sword!"

A bark was her only reply, and just as Zacian lunged, swiping down as the much smaller quadruped, Boltund suddenly leaped high overhead, sparks flaring off his body. With a howl he unleashed a wave of electricity that consumed the Pokémon. She groaned, her limbs tightening as the paralysis took hold. Even so, she was _still_ moving. Legendaries really were no joke, and this one was stronger than most. A true warrior. With a roar her blade glowed bright, and Cassandra shouted for everyone to retreat behind Zamazenta. The other legendary understood without being told as well and braced for the blast. It was worse than before, shoving him back some before it dug its claws in.

Cassandra licked her lips, thinking quick. That sword was dangerous—and clearly, Zacian's most powerful tool. Not to mention it had given her armor, which no doubt boosted her defense. They needed to get the sword away somehow!

"Corvi, I need you, bud! Lapras, Lucario, you too! Everyone out!" she commanded, and they did as told "Hang back you three. First, Lapras I need a Life Dew. Give everyone a boost!"

Lapras cried out in delight. Her body glowed for a moment, and orbs of water formed around her body. It took seconds for her to finish, pouring her energy into each one, and shot them out to their allies. Her Arcanine's body relaxed, its earlier pain diminished. Tyranitar roared with energy, and Boltund barked excitedly, dodging around Zacian and sparking off thunderbolts or using Crunch to nip at her legs and tail. It all worked to infuriate Zacian, who couldn't slice the overly large sword quick enough. Yet, the armor was too tough, and even with paralysis, she was able to send sword blasts their way. Sometimes they weren't quick enough to avoid a hit, but Lapras worked hard to send her miraculous water to them.

Her team wouldn't last forever, though, and so Cassandra readied her next plan.

"Corvi, on my signal, use swagger and piss Zacian off—keep it or her or whatever distracted and swoop around. Zamazenta, I need you on defense as much as possible; keep Zacian from hitting them with the sword as best you can. Lucario, this is all on you bud," she spoke quickly, her heart racing with uncertainty, but her Pokémon was confident, pumping a paw in the air. She grinned and kept her voice low as she explained, "As soon as our opponent is distracted, you need to hit her as _hard as you can_ in the jaw. Extreme Speed over if you need to. Then Meteor Punch, full power. Make sure to pop that sword out and nab it. Then use Extreme Speed back to me, got it?"

Her Lucario barked.

"Perfect. Corvi, you ready?" she asked, and her bird cawed from above. "Then go, now! Swagger!"

Corviknight shot right at Zacian, who jerked back in surprise. She snarled, giving the bird her attention, who cawed obnoxiously, puffing his chest up and swirling around, making a racket along with clawing at the legendary's face. The Pokémon snarled and barked, having trouble following the bird's movement. She was becoming confused, but angry, too—enough so another Swords Dance flared. Oh, yes. Zacian was _pissed_.

Which was the opening they needed.

"Lucario, _now_!"

The blue-furred fighter used his speed ability to cross the distance in an instance. Just as Zacian noticed, eyes widening, the Pokémon's paw was lit in a fierce light, aura collecting around in a split moment. With a howl, he dug his heel into the ground and slammed his glowing paw into Zacian's lower jaw— _hard_. It threw the Pokémon's head up and back, nearly knocking her off her front paws entirely. It also popped the sword right out of her mouth. Lucario's red pupils flashed, and with a quick pivot, he snatched the sword into his paws, ready to snap back to his trainer.

Only, the weapon was too cumbersome.

Lucario's eyes went wide as he found he couldn't do Extreme Speed carrying a sword that would drag heavily, and Zacian loomed, fangs flaring with a dark aura. She was going to Crunch down, and with such strong power it was going to _hurt_ even though the fighter had a type advantage.

Her Pokémon wasn't alone, however. Cassandra shouted for Arcanine and Tyranitar. The latter opened his maw wide and an orb of golden, powerful energy formed. It took only a moment, and then he fired, blasting a Hyper Beam right into Zacian's chest. It knocked the Pokémon back, giving Arcanine the moment he needed to leap to Lucario's side, grasping the rest of the hilt in his jaws while his companion let go. It was still heavy and a bit too large, but her long-time partner was tall enough and strong enough to make up for it. He couldn't properly carry it, but the fire-type was able to spin, and, using momentum, flung the sword toward his trainer. Zacian made to go after, but at her short, sharp whistle Boltund suddenly appeared and unleashed a flare of electrical energy—a Spark, right into her face. Corviknight followed up with a drill peck at the redhead's command, hitting the legendary straight in her snout. She yelped, rearing up at the pain as Cassandra rush forward and grasped hold of the blade.

To her shock, it suddenly flared with a blinding light, and became incredibly light. When she opened her eyes, the sword was rusted and small—and Zacian was no longer armored.

"Alright, line up, everyone, let's finish this!" she called out, and her Pokémon came to stand before her, all ready to strike the final blow. That is, except Zamazenta, who, instead, moved slightly in front of his fellow legendary, whom was visibly panting now, body shaking slightly. She lifted her hand, "Wait. Stand down, guys. Hold on."

Zamazenta smirked—ever so slightly—and turned to his fellow legendary, _It is your loss, Sister._

Zacian growled, but not harshly, _So it seems, Brother._

The Pokémon lifted herself proper and approached with a slight limp. Cassandra's Pokémon growled in warning, but she quieted them with a command and touch. She moved between them to be face to face with Zacian. She held up the sword.

"Here, this is yours. I just thought I'd borrow it for a bit."

The Pokémon took it, and, again, returned to her armored state.

_You have as sharp a wit as your bite, I see. I do not appreciate my sword being stolen from me... but my Brother speaks true. It is my loss. I shall recognize your strength. It was a good battle, Chosen._

"I, uh... thanks? And you're welcome?"

_Indeed... now what have you need of us? Your kind came for us to stop_ _Eternatus_ _twice before, but we do not sense its power now._

Leon was the one to answer, coming forward to stand by Cassandra. He grasped her shoulder, a proud smile on his face before he turned his focus to the two Pokémon.

"Two men claiming to be Galar's kings are trying to take Eternatus and use its power to show us some 'truth'. We're not sure what, but they want _both of you_ involved. We don't exactly know why or how, but we figured it was better that _we_ got to you first—if only to keep you safe from their hands. They've taken Hop and Gloria—the ones who summoned you last time. It's mostly for precaution, but... these men are crazy. And conniving. We have enemies everywhere, and we don't know when they'll make their move."

 _A preemptive strike of sorts. Hmm... We do not know these two you speak of. The only 'kings' we know were good men who fought beside us once. We left this land to be protected by them, though that was ages ago. But if these interlopers wish to unleash_ _Eternatus_ _a third time, then they are our enemies, and we will help you,_ Zamazenta replied, bowing his head slightly.

Zacian grunted, _Bring forth your containment for us—that which you use to house your companions. We shall travel with you in this way._

Cassandra frowned, "Are you sure? That's a little... It, uh, feels unbecoming for you. I mean, Suicine and Reshiram were fine, but..."

 _You need our presence a secret, no?_ Zamazenta mused, a wry grin on his face. _What better way? Worry not, we can observe from our containment, and we do not mind. We have accepted you as our Chosen, and so we will follow you and adhere to your ways._

Zacian stepped forward, chest proud, _But—we will fight in_ _ **all**_ _battles. We are warriors above all else, and the battlefield is our domain. It is in our blood._

"I think we can agree to that," Leon chuckled, pulling out an ultraball and tossing it at Zamazenta. The legendary didn't resist as he was engulfed in light. The ball didn't even twitch when it fell. Cassandra didn't follow in suit right away, instead bringing out a hyper potion and offered it to the legendary.

"Here, before I 'catch' you, drink this. It'll recover your strength."

The Pokémon snorted, _I have no need for such boons. I am a warrior. I will recover quickly._

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, I've heard that before. Just take it, alright? You don't have to be stubborn to be a warrior. Consider it an offering of friendship."

_I have no need of such things, but... if you must insist._

Zacian took the potion into her mouth gently and lifted her head to down it. She returned the bottle, and the redhead found it amazing how dainty she could be. The Pokémon rumbled with some content, then watched the redhead expectantly. She made an "oh" face and tossed a ball that consumed Zacian in light. Like Zamazenta's, it was still. She picked it up and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good job, guys. You did great," she chuckled, bringing out potions for them as well, which they happily downed. "Go ahead and return to your balls to rest. I'll spoil you later."

Her Pokémon obeyed, chirping, barking, and cawing before doing as told. The ordeal over, Cassandra sighed, shoulders slumping, only to suddenly be pulled into a warm, tight hug, Leon burying his head into her hair while she his chest. She chuckled, glad for it. He'd been so worried the whole time. hadn't he? It was a bit weird; he hadn't been so nervous about her before, but she supposed liking someone a lot changed that. It was nice, although she'd need to make sure he didn't take it too far.

"Thanks for the assist—Zamazenta was a big help. Figures he would accept you easily. You've always been about protecting and supporting others."

He chuckled, pulling back, "I guess you got me there. Still... I was sweating more water than a Hydro Pump the whole battle—Zacian is so _strong_! But... I guess it was no trouble with how many legendaries you've encountered?"

"Oh, no, that was tough! I never had to use all six of my Pokémon at once before. Zacian was incredible—I've never fought one like it--or... her, I guess is right. But... we did it. We really did it."

"Yeah, you were incredible. I can't wait to face you myself once this is all over," he beamed, eyes bright.

Cassandra laughed, "Of course you would want to fight. Alright, sure. I'll take you on one day. But I think we better get back and start planning our next move."

"Yeah. And looks like we can fly from this part—it's all clear."

"So eager to have me in your lap again?"

"I mean, I'd be happy to never _not_ have you in my lap," he grinned with a shrug.

She blushed like a foolish schoolgirl, "Yeesh, you just confessed like an hour ago, and you're already being romantically cheesy? You could at least take me on a date first."

"Trust me, if we weren't trying to save my brother and Gloria and all of Galar, I would. But for now, I'll take you riding in my lap—the way I prefer," he winked as he unleashed Charizard, taking delight in how red her face went. She grumbled about him being ridiculous, and then yelped in surprise when he lifted her up—and planted her on his Pokémon's neck backwards. He hefted himself up onto Charizard's back before she could move and made sure her legs went over his thighs while he held his Pokémon's neck to balance. Of course he kept arm around her waist to steady her, and not just for his own enjoyment. She rolled her eyes, resting her hands against his chest. It really was well-toned. She wouldn't mind a reminder of how it looked.

"Hold tight," he purred, and Charizard's lift off forced her firmly against him, which, of course, he enjoyed. So did she. Still, she gave him a look when the lizard Pokémon evened out above the forest, the fog of which didn't reach them so high up. He grinned, like an imp, "What? Don't tell me you don't enjoy it."

"No, I do. I get to have a good, close up look of you like this," she hummed, hand coming up—slowly—to travel along his rugged jawline. It really had filled out, the beard reaching a little closer to his cheeks. He'd grown some stubble on his lips, too.

"Like what you see?"

"So far. I'd ask about you, but... well, you're the one who thought my scars were cool," she grinned back.

He did blush a little, but his grin was cheeky, not unsure like before, "You know, I wouldn't mind a second look—see what I missed."

"Y'know, I think I could use a second look, too. I barely got a taste that first night."

"...First night?" he question, brow raised. "Weren't you dying then?"

She laughed, "I had to strip you when I found you remember? To get warm? And I have to say, you were oh so tempting."

"Whoa, whoa—I thought I hadn't been staying with a sexual deviant?" he smirked back.

"I was just trying to protect your sweet heart, all innocent like a little boy."

He raised a brow, "Hey, now, I _am_ a man... although, those are bold words from a sweet, innocent maiden... or am I wrong?"

An innocent question, but she understood the underlying meaning. They were almost back to Postwick—the forest was so much bigger than she'd realized—which gave her just enough time to answer.

"I've... attempted dating. Kissed once, kinda But... no. No intimacy. It never got that far with anyone. I never felt... like how I do with you."

He couldn't stop a smile, "Then I hope you know... I have no intention of letting you go so easily. I'll make sure you don't lose that feeling."

"Going to show me a 'champion time', hmm?"

"Well, if you insist," he chuckled, stealing a kiss. It was longer than before, and she let her hands roam into his hair to savor it. An ache stirred within her, one foreign and yet known so well. She knew what it was, though that thought was a little far off as she savored having his brow pressed against hers, the warmth of his body joined with her own. He was just so sweet and kind, and strong, and loving, and she felt safe. And wanted; like everything would be okay; like maybe she could be forgiven for what she'd done—if only by forgiving herself. She hoped he felt the same.

He pulled her close again, in part because Charizard had descended down and landed as carefully as he could. Even then she didn't really want to let go, enjoying burying her face into his collar with her arms around his neck. It was a comfort she'd never been able to have and lamented going so long without it.

"Alright, off we go then," Leon hummed, but instead of letting her get off herself, he brought his hands to her rear—she made a very embarrassing surprised sound—and lifted her enough to swing his leg over and slide off. Only then did he let her drop down after savoring the moment and enjoying how pink it made her cheeks go. "Cute."

" _Shut up_ ," she griped and started towards Sonia's back door. Behind her, he laughed as he returned Charizard and followed after. He had to stop short, though, to keep from running into the redhead, whom spun back around. She chewed her lip nervously, glancing at up at him. "You.... Should you tell Sonia about... _us._ I mean, we're... a couple now, right?"

"Uh, well, yeah. We are. So, uh... yeah, I guess I might have to... _Oh._ Wow that's—," he started, suddenly realizing the gravity of things. It was cut short, though, when the sound of breaking glass echoed from inside. The two looked at one another for a split moment, then they burst through the back door. They unleashed Aegislash and Boltund together, expecting trouble. They didn't find it, but it was clear it had been there. Windowpanes were shattered, the front door wide open—missed from circling around—and bookshelves and lab equipment had been ruined. Nothing was missing, except the owner.

"Sonia!" Leon bellowed, panic rising. A whimper came from a familiar Yamper as it squirmed from under the couch and limped over. The young man picked it up at once, cradling it, and looked around wildly. " _Sonia!_ Where are you!?"

"H-here," a soft voice echoed from one of the back rooms. The two trainers hurried over, Pokémon right on their heels. They found the young woman curled up in the bathroom, eyes red and tears streaming down her face. She had poorly wrapped bandages on her arm, a fresh cut still seeping blood. Leon cursed, crouching down to look it over and embrace his friend, whom clung to him and sobbed. Cassandra cursed as well, in part for not seeing this would happen, and because she couldn't stop herself from hating that the man she liked was hugging another woman. But Sonia was his childhood friend and she was _hurt_ , so she smacked herself mentally for such a thought.

She found the wrap the professor been using, along with the first aid kit. Crouching down, she held her hand out to the shaken ginger.

"Here, I can do it."

Sonia looked to her wearily through tear-filled eyes, but at Leon's urging, she held out her arm. Cassandra was as gentle as she could be unwrapping the original binding. She'd been a bit surprised at first that Sonia hadn't been able to do it herself, but just holding her hand she could _feel_ her shaking. She hadn't able to keep steady enough to do it. So, Cassandra went slow, making sure to explain what she was doing, and didn't stop until the wound was wrapped nice and snug. For the Yamper, she applied ointment and gave it a potion to ease its pain. Their Pokémon, meanwhile, kept a fierce vigil.

"Arceus help us... what happened? Who did this?" Leon rasped, taking hold of his friend's hand gently. Again, Cassandra pushed back the flare of ire.

Sonia sniffed, rubbing her eyes, "It was... those guys—Swordward. And Shielbert. They came here with some goons of theirs."

"Fuck," the redhead hissed. The bastard from the mountains had survived then.

"They... they demanded to know where you went. I told them I didn't know—that you hadn't come back yet. They believed me, I guess, but then... they... they asked about t-the Wishing S-Stars a-and E-eternatus," she croaked, tears fresh again. "I told them I didn't know, but... but they knew I did. They'd found out I'd been talking with the Plant. They knew I'd called. It—it was my assistant. The other one besides Hop. I—I thought... she was... my friend, but... she... she was _with_ them. She took the Wishing Stars and—and told them I knew. I think... I think they have spies in there, too—with Eternatus. But not ones who worked directly with it or I don't know maybe they don't I just... I tried, 'Lee. I tried to fight the—to stop them, but...

She sobbed, sucking in air with shaky breaths, "Arceus, you were right, Leon. I'm not strong enough to fight. Yamper wasn't enough, and they... they threatened to kill him—to kill you, too, and I just... I gave in. I wasn't strong enough, and I told them where Eternatus was."

Oh no.

No, no, no.

They were going to get Eternatus.

"Did you tell Raihan and the lab yet!?" Cassandra rasped, but Sonia only shook her head, still sobbing. Leon pulled her close, doing all he could to soothe her as best he was able. She clung to him again, shaking worse than before. The redhead stood to head out, giving a reassuring nod to Leon, and pulled out her pokegear. It might not have video feed like a Rotom, but it could still make a call, and Raihan had been kind enough to give his number during their stay.

 _"Yo, what's going on, pretty lady? You and Leon having a good time?"_ he spoke, and she knew he was smirking with that toothy grin. Briefly, she felt bad for ruining his humor.

"Raihan, they're coming—Swordward and Shieldbert know where Eternatus is. They're coming to take it."

His side was quiet for a few seconds, _"Fuck. I'm on it. Get here when you can. Are you guys alright?"_

"We're fine, but... they got Sonia—she's hurt and shaken up. We need to bring her somewhere safer."

_"Bring her here—the Vault side. I have a safe room installed. She'll be safe. That, and 'cause I'm about to blast these pieces of Weedle shit into the dirt."_

"Don't take them lightly! They're dangerous and they have allies! One was working as Sonia's assistant. You shouldn't even be going alone!"

_"I got allies too, sweetheart. You just focus on your part and come meet me with them legendaries, alright?"_

Because if he _couldn't_ stop them in time, then that was their only hope.

"Don't get killed, alright? I still owe you dinner."

_"Now that's just the motivation I need. Shame your Leon's girl."_

"Yeah, shame, although I don't think I'm missing out."

_"Oof ouch. You're taking me somewhere expensive. Now hurry up, or you'll miss out on all the fun."_

He cut the line then, no doubt about to take off for the main castle. She knew he was a strong trainer, but still; if the two sons of bitches had a lot of goons with them, it could overwhelm even the mighty Gym Leader of Hanmerlocke.

"Leon?" she called out, coming back to the room. He finally had Sonia up, an arm around her back to keep a steady hold on her shoulder. She went on when he looked up, "Raihan's going to try and stop them. We need to go help."

"We need to get Sonia somewhere safe."

"Raihan offered the Vault? He mentioned a safe room. I don't think anywhere around here will be alright."

He looked to his friend, "I know where it is. Think you can manage a ride to Hammerlock?"

She nodded meekly, no longer talking. She had Yamper in her arms and cuddled him close.

"Hurry—take her on Charizard. I'll get a ride."

"I... okay. Be safe," he nodded.

"I will. Now, hurry."

They left out through the back, and she heard Charizard fly off with a roar. She sighed as she glanced around the ruined lab. As much as she hadn't gotten along exactly with Sonia, she was sad to see her all her work ruined. And to be hurt so badly by the two men? They were monsters. And they had to be stopped.

 _You mustn't linger, Chosen_. _Eternatus_ _must not be unleashed!_

"Zacian?"

_Yes. Though I rest here on your hip, I may speak still. This is the bond we share. Now, quickly! Obtain yourself transport._

"Corviknight is too small to carry me the whole way... Taxi it is," she frowned, moving out from the lab to the main street. The station in the town wasn't too far, and there was, thankfully, one available to give her a ride. It would take an hour at most, which was too much time, but there wasn't much she could do. Leon couldn't come back for her—she didn't want him to—and time was of the essence. Raihan was possibly going to be fighting, hopefully not alone, for some time before they got there.

All she could do was pray.

\----------------------------

**_TMWof:f_ **

_Oh look, happy feelings gone lmao I'm awful_

_But hey_

_hey_

_hey_

_they kissed_

_YOU'RE WELCOME._

_Casseon officially begins (and yes, that is the ship name I've chosen for them xD if you want to see my art of it, you can find it on mytumblr o DA; t-m-wolf.tumblr.com or deviantart.com/t-m-wolf)_

**NOW FOR FRIDGE CHAPTER ART. LOOK AT THIS GREAT SHORT COMIC ICEOFFIRE336 MADE. IT'S AWESOME <3**


	12. Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for some old friends and good ol' fluff :D

__

_(Chapter cover; it was fun drawing this silly thing xD Guess who!)_

_**\------------------------------** _

_I sense trouble._

That was an understatement.

Smoke brewed from the castle of Hammerlocke, and in other parts of the city. It reminded Cassandra of a war zone, though far less severe, and yet just as serious. Her taxi trainer didn't hesitate to take off as soon as she shut the door, not wanting to get caught in whatever was going on. He had gotten her here, though, and that was the most important thing. She could see people moving about in a panic, those in uniform working with their Pokémon to either put out fires or deal with other problems. She knew her business lay within the heart of the castle, and so she brought out her Arcanine, mounted up, and rushed off. She ignored any officers who shouted at her, not that they could do much. She needed to find Leon and Raihan, and the energy plant was past the draw bridge.

Of course, that's where the worst of it was, too. The smell of smoke reached her quick, and she had to bring the collar of her hoodie up to block it out some. It thankfully zipped up high enough, but the smoke stung her eyes, too, and she didn't have her goggles. Arcanine thankfully was mostly unfazed, his fire affinity giving him resilience against it. The blare of alarms coming from the doors, which had been blasted open did hurt his ears she noticed, the appendages lying flat against his head. As such, she stopped him there at the entrance and put him back into his ball. She kept her head a bit lower as she slipped inside and followed the ramp down to the first floor. To her right, a room filled with a circular platform in the center and an array of glowing, wire towers-generators behind it. On the platform was a setup of laboratory equipment and a spot for what looked like a stand for a pokéball or something. Was this where Eternatus had been kept?

Well, it wasn't now, and she could see bodies lying on the ground, some charred, some bloody. Some broken apart, too. She grimaced but moved on to the lift. She wasn't exactly fond of using it considering the situation, but it looked to be in working order and the best way up. The smoke hadn't gotten into there, at least, apparently only coming from the containment area. The lift _did_ work, much to her relief, and deposited her out on one of the towers.

At once, the sounds of battle reached her; explosions and cries of Pokémon echoing from on high. There was also a pressure of power. She raced to the top, just as Zacian's voice filled her mind.

_Release me!_

She whipped her pokéball from her belt and was glad for the advice. A small platoon of six men and women stood before two faces she never hoped to see, all with full teams of Pokémon out, facing down Leon and Raihan, who's own teams were becoming overwhelmed despite being stronger. It was just too many; numbers were overcoming strength. Even Zamazenta was having difficulty shielding from so many attacks, and something was off--the Pokémon looked uneasy; strained. Was it the strange aura coming from the two bastards behind it all?

There was no more time to think as she threw her pokéball, and Zacian burst forth. The legendary leaped up with a mighty howl, glowing with light as she activated the rusty sword to unveil her true form. With a snarl, she landed down before their group, and the moment of shock was all she needed to unleash a furious blast from the sword. It threw countless enemy Pokémon back, with only the strongest remaining standing. Many of the platoon cowered back, but not the ones who stood behind them. Not Shieldbert, and not Swordward. No, on their faces was excitement.

"Yes-- _Yes!_ It's all in place! Finally, we can begin our true plan!" the one bearing a shield on his back bellowed. His brother next to him, sneered at her. She noted Swordward's face was different from before--once smooth, pale skin now had reddish scars from nose to ear and brow, and discoloration that resembled the aftermath of bad frost bite.

So. He hadn't come out unscathed from the mountain then. She wished she could be happier about it.

"So, the Johto-jin bitch tamed one of the beasts, too. Well, all the better. I'm going to enjoy watching your despair when it shows its _true_ self."

"'Cas, be careful--they have Eternatus!" Leon barked as she came up beside them. With a short command, the rest of her Pokémon came loose, ready to join the fight.

Raihan grinned, "Now it's a _real_ party. We'll be taking Eternatus back now, you bloody Garbadors!"

"I think not!" Swordward hissed, hand on his blade hit as he stepped forward. He paused, though, as his brother grabbed his shoulder.

"No; we must go now, my brother. We have what we came for, and their having tamed the Warriors matters little. Our goals will end the same, and they, too, will see the truth. It will be better this way, in fact."

The sword-wielding brother wanted to protest but seemed to understand reason. They turned as if to leave.

"No you, don't! After them!" Cassandra bellowed, and her Pokémon lunged. Enemy combatants stood to meet them, and both Zacian and Zamazenta lashed out. A small space emerged between the Pokémon and enemy trainers, and Cassandra made a run for it, Arcanine right by her side. Leon shouted, quickly following after. They could stop them! They were so close! She was almost there, almost close enough to have Arcanine attack, when the two men suddenly turned.

Shieldbert lifted the hand which held Eternatus' pokéball, while Swordward lifted a device in his other and pressed a button.

Dark, powerful energy burst out in a shockwave, blasting her, Leon, Raihan, their Pokémon, and all others on top of the energy station. It didn't matter who, they were laid flat and left writhing in pain. Zacian and Zamazenta were no exception and snarled as dark energy clung to them in red, electrical sparks worse than the rest.

The two men laughed.

"See? It will work perfectly... now, let us leave and make preparations. It's time to show the world the truth," Shieldbert cooed, a malicious glint in his eyes.

Swordward step forward to crouch before Cassandra, his face cold, "I should kill you right now, _wench_... but I will wait until you have all you love and know taken from you. _Then_ I will finish what I started on the mountain and repay you for marring the face of a King."

He left her then, her body still shaking from the energy blow. Twin Braviaries appeared in a flash and allowed the men to mount their backs. With a shriek, they took off, leaving the trainers and their Pokémon where they lay. 

It took a bit longer, but Cassandra finally stood--wobbly, of course, but managed. Leon was working his way up, too, and she gave him a hand. Her Pokémon looked to be doing alright for what they'd endured, but the rest were still down. The goons had exhausted their Pokémon, and they themselves were hurt badly it seemed. Zacian and Zamazenta had recovered, panting. Raihan studied things wearily, commanding his Pokémon to be on alert and stop anyone who tried to move. They likewise did the same. Thankfully, by then officers and emergency teams had made their way to the tower.

"Zacian, Zamazenta, are you two alright?" the red head asked, working her way over. She could hear trainers rumbling to themselves, some wondering why they had been abandoned by their kings. She wasn't sure what to make of that. The two legendaries growled.

 _Eternatus_ _' power has grown,_ the lighter-furred one spat.

 _It's might is our antithesis_ , her brother rumbled uneasily.

She sighed, "And you took a direct hit."

Zamazenta frowned, _The dark energy is... difficult to counter. It defiles what we are._

"I'm not sure I understand," Leon frowned, too, reaching up to touch his legendary's snout gently. The Pokémon leaned into the touch.

_We feel the rage it houses, the wild energy. It is difficult to explain._

_We must stop those men at all costs,_ Zacian rumbled, looking to her new trainer, whom pulled out a full restore. _I will heal fine._

"Just shut up and take it, you're _not_ fine. And, I'm sorry I brought you out. I shouldn't have if it was going to do this to you."

_I chose to fight, and you made good on your word. There is no fault in that._

"Still, drink the dang potion, you stubborn thing."

_Tsk._

Zacian complied, though, and downed the fluid, which, she admitted--quietly--did help. The redhead chuckled, but then paused when she realized Raihan was staring. His confusion was almost comical.

"...Uh, so like... what?" he asked, gesturing to the four of them.

"Ah, they, uh... they talk. To us," Leon grinned sheepishly. "Just us. In our... heads?"

"Riiight. So. These assholes," the Gym Leader coughed and turned to their enemy trainers. With a jab, he bellowed, "Alright, you wankers, don't you even think about doing anything funny or Flygon is going to fry all your asses!"

The platoon members flinched and their Pokémon shied away as well if they didn't return to their balls already, which made it easier for the officers to do their work. It gave the three trainers the moment to finally return their own Pokémon and head off to the side. Unfortunately, it was not a happy reunion.

Raihan sighed, not bothering to hide his annoyance, "Bastards had a spy. We had everything ready to be protected. I was even here, ready to go... but the minute I left to check up on things, they attacked. Some bloody poor excuse of a man set off a bomb, killing most everyone in the lab, and took both Eternatus' ball and the device we use to control its energy releases. It was maybe ten minutes before you got here. We weren't expecting it. In fact, we thought things were all good, but...

He clenched his fists, looking ready to punch something, "They came in from the front door, too, and I was too late. They brought that platoon and it was just too many. I couldn't handle them."

"I got here around then, and things were a mess. They caused trouble in the city, too, which waylaid me and emergency crews," Leon added, grimacing.

"Dammit, if only we'd been here sooner. Maybe then..." Cassandra ground out.

"Well, no good pissin' over hindsight. We need to figure out what to do next. What's their plan?"

"Has to do with unleashing the energy, which is a lot of power... are they planning to mow down towns or something?" the purple-haired man shrugged.

Cassandra hummed, "They want to _rule_ Galar, though, and show some 'truth'. I don't get it, though. What ' _truth'_?"

"It involves Zacian and Zamazenta, so the legend? The one we realized was wrong not that long ago?"

"Are they saying the _new_ version is wrong then? But Sonia found all that evidence and Hop and Gloria used the legendaries to stop Eternatus before just like the legend said," Raihan guffawed, and Leon cursed.

"They still have them, too! If they force Gloria to use Eternatus for them--to make it listen without the device... and Hop... they're going to use him against her _and_ me for sure now they know we have the two Pokémon."

"Which means we don't have the best upper hand anymore. We have to wait and see what they do. If only we could find your brother and his friend!" Cassandra rasped.

"We've been trying to trace their location, but...," the Gym Leader grumbled. "There's only so many places they could be, and we don't know who's working with them or not. This situation is worse than Mudsdale shit."

"We need to figure this out... I... do you think Sonia would be able to help us still? She said she was working on tracking them. I know she's... shaken up, but..." the redhead winced.

Leon frowned, "Yeah, she's still... not okay, but... you're not wrong. We need to figure this out fast. We need her help."

"She always was the brains. Alright, you have her at my safehouse at the Vault right?" Raihan asked, and got a nod. "Then we can head out. Jenny can get our reports later. She'll forgive us for bailing if it means catching these wankers."

The two couldn't agree more.

\----

\------

Sonia was still a mess when they made to the Vault, but she was stable enough to move back to Raihan's apartment which was far more comfortable and had food they all definitely needed. Raihan provided a small, but filling meal after which they began their meeting. Sonia was finally reasonable better by then, sitting on the couch with her Yamper who was looking much better, too. She was, to their relief, willing and able to help, despite the fear that clung to her. They were glad for it, though, because her skills with the Rotom mechanics was not matched by many. She still had the original trace being analyzed, but she'd also started including information from any and every call they'd sent out somewhere, be it a warning or any potential trace on their own calls. She'd also investigated the backgrounds of the assistant that had betrayed her, searching for any clues there, and did what she could to find links through the genealogy of the history of Galar's kings. Combined with her work on the true legends, it was creating an image, however small. Just not a very good one yet.

"It shouldn't be long now, I hope... But I still can't figure why they want the legendaries to show some 'truth', when the truth is that those Pokémon are the heroes," the ginger sighed, her voice and body visibly tired. She no longer shook, but the ordeal would be with her for some time--even longer than the potential scar on her arm would. Leon was by her side, though, providing her support as needed.

Cassandra did her best to not feel anger again, but it ended up an impossible feet, so she settled for keeping it on the down low as much as possible. Thankfully, she remained civil. After all, she knew how Leon felt about her--and Sonia. So there really was no reason to feel even a sliver of jealousy.

She was proud when she kept her voice even as she spoke, "The energy does hurt them--more than a normal Pokémon could. It seems like the 'kings' are trying to get rid of them, but that doesn't quite add up. If they wanted to do that, they could have done it there on the roof. We were entirely unprepared and at their mercy."

"Three people definitely weren't enough," Raihan growled. "Strongest Pokémon around, and that Eternatus blast send us all sprawling."

"I think we need to bring _all_ the Gym Leaders together to take this on. Now," Leon scowled, his frustration with it all only having grown since they left the Energy plant.

"I agree. They have army of followers, though--and their Pokémon aren't so weak we can totally plow through them despite having the strongest trainers around on our side," Sonia sighed, rubbing her head. "Raihan, do you have anything for a headache?"

"Yeah, I got you, love," he replied, sauntering over to his kitchen

"Do we know how _many_ they have?" Leon scowled.

"Enough to storm Hammerlocke castle and not even flinch at letting them get captured. We should just assume its more than all the Gym Leaders can handle alone, and even combined with you, Leon, and Cassandra and your legendary Pokémon... I'm not sure it's enough, not when they have Eternatus and its energy running wild. The other trainers of Galar aren't that strong and Hop and Gloria are hostages. It's not looking good right now," the ginger grimaced before guzzling down the pill and glass of water Raihan brought.

The purple-haired man groaned, "So, what can we do? We need more allies. What about the League?"

"Maybe, but I wouldn't trust the branch here. We don't know for sure if they have spies, too or not, but I can't help but think they do after what Rose told you."

"If we can't trust our own League, then who?" the Gym Leader growled, throwing up his arms.

" _Mine_."

All three looked to Cassandra, who met their gazes firmly.

"I'm a multi-regional Champion and not from Galar, remember? The Leagues where I'm from don't have a strong connection to Galar; it's too far for that. At most there's correspondence when there's the annual global meeting to discuss matters, or if a world crises happen, but otherwise we don't talk much to you guys from our side of the pond."

Raihan whistled, "Well, look at you, all diplomatic n' shit."

"Well, I need a phone that can reach that far if we hope to get their help. My poke gear is limited in range," she chuckled, showing off her flip-like phone.

Sonia grinned, "I think I can help with that. I'll encrypt my Rotom phone for you, hang on."

The ginger worked quick and then let it hover over to Cassandra. She explained the features, and the redhead punched in the first number she needed. The screen showed off an old-school phone ringing for what felt forever, and then a young man suddenly appeared, sat in a leather chair with an office backdrop. His ruby-red hair reached his shoulders, and his beard had an orange tint to it that stood out against pale skin. He wore a white uniform with red rims and a distinct R on the front with the same shade of red stretching up to its matching collar. A Crobat sat calmly behind him, its face set in a typical frown. At least, until it noticed her and suddenly like out a cry of surprise--and delight.

" _Who's--wait_... Cassandra?! _What in the--how in Arceus' name are you video calling me with that piece of junk you call a phone?"_ the man guffawed.

Cassandra gave him a look, "Is that how you greet your best friend and sister, _Silver_? And I'm borrowing someone's Rotom, alright? Be glad I'm even able to call you from Galar."

 _"_ Galar _?! What are you doing_ there _? It's so far away! Good Arceus, do you know how worried we've been not hearing anything from you all this time!?"_

"I know, I'm sorry. I should have sent more word, but... Silver, I'm not calling to just catch up. There's trouble."

He narrowed his eyes, _"What kind of .. wait, who is that weird guy with the idiotic smile behind you?"_

"Hey, no need to be rude, mate! Name's Raihan. I'm a _friend_ ," the dark-skinned man grinned, flashing his tooth. Silver's face said exactly what he thought about that, and it was most likely an insult. He raised a brow at her a moment later. Cassandra groaned, pinching her brow.

"He means like you--an actual friend. Don't worry, not like a rival like you. That's still your title. But Raihan's with me, as are Sonia and Leon," she explained, motioning for Rotom to turn.

"So, _you're_ the Silver she's told me about?" Leon chuckled.

The red-haired man snorted, _"Yeah, what about it?"_

"Silver, please, they're my friends, don't be rude, and we're getting off track. We need help. Badly."

His eyes narrowed, leaning forward, _"What kind of trouble is it?"_

"Like Unova trouble... potentially Sinnoh level."

 _"Oh,"_ he winced. He groaned as he leaned back in his chair. Crobat fluttered down to the desk, not wanting to be pushed against the seat. It chirped at her again, much to her amusement. Behind him, she could see his other Pokémon lounging about, though they'd started to grow curious. They looked like they were doing good, too. He sighed when he straightened once more, _"What all do you need then?"_

"Well, the paperwork is going to be a bitch, but this is an emergency so I'll be getting the Indigo and other Leagues involved. Was Pokérus cured?"

_"Yeah, we finally managed it. The anti-virus was dispersed through the entire region. Cases went down to less than 1%. You worried about customs?"_

"It helps if it's not an issue, because, well, Galar needs Team Rescue."

 _"Now_ that _is a mighty big request. How many units do you need?"_

"Frankly? I'm not sure. All of them? Or as many as you can spare."

Silver was quiet, thinking, _"...It's really that bad?"_

"We're out numbered, and we don't know exactly by how much... and they have an ancient Pokémon powerful enough to knock down two Legendary tier Pokemon, two Champions, an 8th badge Gym Leader with dragons, and a lot of other trainers. Worse still, that doesn't include fighting their grunts. I dare to say the Pokémon is almost on par with Sinnoh Mythical power without the mystical side of it."

 _"Ah._ That _bad. Well, shit, '_ _Cas_ _. You don't make it easy, do you? You should be grateful I actually like you even if we are family, otherwise I think I'd be laughing you all the way to the insane asylum right now."_

"Trust me, I am _forever_ grateful... because I need one more favor."

He narrowed his eyes again, _"What kind?"_

"I need you to bring my teams. All of them."

Silver just groaned.

\------

\------------

Things moved fast then. Silver agreed to the requests, though mentioned it could take some time to get approvals, but if she spoke with the League it might go quicker. From there, the trip itself to Galar would take a while, probably at least a week, especially with the amount of people they had to move. However, the danger to the country meant a force like Team Rescue would be exactly what they needed. Silver had made sure _all_ his trainers were capable and had obtained all eight badges or even beaten some of the Elite Four before joining. He had no time for weaklings who couldn't save even their own Pokémon or themselves. He also had no time for foolish people who didn't bother to contact their friends and family more often and promised to have some words for her when he got there. Thankfully, she knew it was out of loving friendship, although she didn't look forward to his lecture. What were friend-rivals for, though?

She hung up not long into the rest of his rant, knowing full well he would leave a worse message for cutting her off. He was just being a good friend, truthfully, and she waved off the teases and snickers from Raihan as she got to work contacting the Leagues next. Indigo was first.

Lance was a sight for sore eyes, as she was for him, and she wished she could catch up more, but the talk was kept to business. Like Silver, he was happy to help, even if only getting the Indigo League to fast track permission for such a large quantity of trainers and non-native Pokémon to be transported there, at least from their end. Galar's League would have to fast track their approval, too. However, with Pokérus in check, there was little concern of it spreading, making the main rule that Pokémon from Johto and Kanto could _not_ be allowed to roam freely so as to prevent breeding even between similar species such as Vulpix or Growlithe. It should make things easier to move.

There were some concerns over League spies, but Lance assured them his Galar foreign connection was trustworthy and would keep things on the down low. That, and even if there were some in cahoots with the Kings they wouldn't act against things for fear of being found out by the League, especially if they weren't sold by the Kings plans. If anything they'd be waiting to see who came out on top and so would play along with both sides. Lance was certain of it anyways, and Cassandra always trusted his judgement. He'd been right about Rocket back in the day, and with other organizations she'd fought when she sought his advice. Thankfully, the others agreed and maybe even seemed a bit relieved by it.

From there she followed a similar procedure with the League in Sinnoh, who agreed easily enough and only asked they pass along what information they could to better understand the situation. She urged Cynthia _not_ tell too much to the League in Galar, unless they were sure they could trust someone there. It meant things wouldn't be easy, but they would get it done. If there was anything Cynthia could do, it was get the ball rolling, so Cassandra knew things were in good hands. Hoenn's League was much the same with Steven, who was happy to give help, and like Lance had trusted associates. He even offered his own personal resources to render aid as needed, and was looking forward to seeing the Galar region if he was able.

Unova was last, and that call was, perhaps, the hardest. Alder was relieved and seemed even happy to see her, despite how their last conversation went, what with her abandoning the region and all. He didn't mention it, of course--no doubt because she was with company and he was a polite man--and listened to her tale. He lamented they couldn't send many trainers over, but they could at least approve her Unova Pokémons' arrival and send some new Champions along with him to help. It was not a lengthy talk, the Unova Champion telling her his hopes she might return and visit one day, that Reshiram missed her, and he was keeping it safe. She wasn't so sure about that, but she accepted his words none the less. She didn't dare ask about N and ended the call not long after.

She sighed in relief, leaning back against the couch that now only housed her, Raihan, and Leon. Sonia had become too tired and fallen asleep during the "diplomacy" with Hoenn, as the Gym Leader called it, so Leon had taken her to one of the guest rooms.

"Well _that_ was some intense talking. I don't think I've ever seen so many Champions all at once or heard half those terms," the dark-skinned man snickered, leaning over the couch to look at them.

"Ugh, and that wasn't even actually speaking with the League boards. But it's still not as bad _your_ League. They're obnoxious and way too much into business and sponsorship contracts and regular contracts and legal jargon in general. The other regions follow a more-so honor-based system. We don't get endorsed, but you get perks."

Leon grinned, "Like direct access to Champions' numbers to call them to come help other regions in peril?"

"Well, technically, no, but yes? That is one? I'm sort of also friends with them, kinda. Cynthia is so-so, more like mutual respect, and Steven is a bit more friendly than that, but, anyways. It's going to take about at least a week for them to get here at the earliest... which may not be enough time. But at least they can come help clean up the mess after the fact. If it comes to that," she sighed, rubbing her brow. All those talks had exhausted her. That, and stirring up so many old emotions.

"You have some bloody good friends, though. So, I'd count us lucky they're even coming, love. We're going to have one heck of a time preparing. We got one week at the soonest until the cavalry comes, and we best hope our enemy doesn't move before then."

"Don't even _say_ it, Raihan. That's a jinx And I don't mean like the icy ones back home."

"You have a Pokémon called _Jynx_?"

"Yep. And you don't want them kissing you anytime soon. They're ice cold bitches. Literally."

The leader grimaced, "Uh, no thanks. Anyways, I'm beat. My Pokémon are, too. I'm heading to bed. Hopefully we'll get some good news tomorrow."

"Night!" the two called out, and then they were alone.

It wasn't long before she felt Leon's fingers entwine with hers and he scooted closer, so their shoulders touched. She let her head fall on his, eyes closed. He pulled his hand away, but only so he could wrap an arm around her instead.

"Long night," he chuckled.

She rumbled, "Yeah. And we don't even know if it'll work."

"Still, thank-you, 'Cas. I know that was hard to do. Galar's going to owe you big time after this."

"Just doing the right thing is all. I don't need that recognition anyways."

"Well, _I'm_ going to owe you and make sure people know it's thanks to you we have a chance. Without your friends coming... I'm not sure there'd be much hope."

"We will get through this--I swear we will," she spoke, looking up at him. He only looked down after a few silent moments, a sad smile there, barely visible in the dim light.

"You make me believe it."

"Because it's true. We'll get your brother and Gloria back, stop whatever pans those bastards made, and make them pay," she added.

He squeezed her gently, "Yeah. But... first we need to sleep."

"I can take the couch. I'm ready to pass out on it, anyways," she snickered, but Leon was having none of it. With ease, he stood and, arm slipping under her legs, lifted her up. She made an awkward sound, arms grasping around his neck in surprise. She lowered her voice, though, realizing people were trying to sleep. "Leon!"

"No way you're taking the couch."

"I'm not letting you sleep there, either" she huffed.

"Not that you could stop me, _but_... I guess we'll just have to share the other guest bed then," he grinned, ever so cheeky.

Her cheeks warmed, "I mean, I _guess_."

"Excuse me? You cuddled me almost naked before, this should be nothing."

"That was _different_! You were saving my life," she huffed back. He'd reached the room by then, nudging the door open, and lying her down on the bed. He flopped on the other side of her, grinning impishly.

"And now we're together... which means this should be fine, right?"

"I mean... _yeah_. It's just...Now I know you actually _like_ me. So, it's... more. It means more," she mumbled, unable to fathom why she was so nervous.

He tilted his head, "You never had to share a bed with another guy? Even just a friend?"

"Not really, no. So, congratulations: you're the first. You don't have to be jealous of anyone," she snorted, rolling over to face him.

"You mean like you were earlier?" he teased and laughed when she made a face. Though he couldn't see, he knew she was turning tomato red. "You know you don't need to be."

"I can't help it. I want you to myself."

"Oh? Am I just that irresistible?"

She groaned, pushing his grinning face away, "Don't act like you're suddenly some flirt master. You were just as awkward about flirting as me before."

"True, and I _am_ nervous right now... but I prefer to be like this about it."

" _Insufferable_?"

"If you want to call it that," he snickered, reaching over and pulling her to him. Her head rest in his collar, breathing in his scent, while he could press his cheek into her hair. "You're the one I like, 'Cas. No one else. So, let me have my fun, alright?"

"Okay, okay, but... what about Sonia?" she asked, and rolled her eyes when he opened one eye at her. "I mean, you need to tell her."

"I... I can do it tomorrow--when she's feeling better. Although, I don't know if I want to."

She hummed, "Yeah, I wouldn't, either, but... it's better to just tell her--especially since she has feelings. It's better than her finding out on her own."

"I know... couldn't be worse timing. For now, though, can we just... be like this? Just you and me?" he asked. She let her silence be his answer. He sighed with content, curling around her more, "I needed this."

She paused, understanding a little more, and so didn't reply right away. Instead, she let her hand reach around to begin rubbing his back, allowing him to feel some amount of comfort. She hoped he did, anyways, because he was right--he needed it. More than she did. He was the one with his home in danger, and his brother in the hands of maniacs. He was the one dealing with more direct guilt. The least she could do was not fuss so much, especially when she wanted it, too.

Although, they had forgotten something.

"We should probably not lay on our Pokémon," she chuckled after a bit, recalling them when she remember theirs belts were still on. He snickered, agreeing, and slipped it off--along with his shirt. She couldn't see it well in the dark, but she felt it when they settled back down, this time under the sheets. Her hands met the bare flesh of his chest an then his back when they reunited, and it was wonderful. All the muscles were taut and toned, much to her delight. She gave it up for his hair, though, as he decided to nestle himself into her collar. She just chuckled, stroking his head gently with a chaste kiss on his brow. He sighed with what she hoped was relief.

"Goodnight, Leon," she murmured. She kept stroking him for some time, even after his breathing slowed as he fell properly asleep. Soon she, too, dozed off.

\----------------------------

**TMWolf:** _And there is the much needed fluff at the end._

_Oh, and old friends, too!_

_What? You thought I mentioned Silver for NOTHING way back in the first few chapters? Oh, no, no. I mentioned him for a reason ;) It all comes to play a very important role to come. Or, well, okay the role is pretty obvious, but you get my meaning. And, yes, Silver's Pokemon love Cassandra. She spoiled them lots after they actually became friends lmao That, and Feraligator is Arcanine's rival xD_

_But yeah, so. The cavalry is on it's way... just have to hope they all make it in time._

_P.S. This is why making connections is useful :'D_

_P.P.S. I DIDN'T KNOW CROBAT WAS SO BIG AND MY HEADCANON OF IT IS RUINED. THEY'RE FREAKING HUGE._

_Oh, and:_

_It's so nice to finally bring out the big fluff stuff. It only gets worse folks lol_

_And to go with the fluff, time for some of my own fanart for the fridge 'cause it fits well with the moment xD I probably need help drawing so much of my own OTP fanart >v> _

**\-------------------------------------**


	13. Tribulations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now for a sweet, but a little bitter chapter ;)
> 
> I also had way too much fun with the cover I love drawing them 😂

k

_Click._

Cassandra's eyes shot open, shoving the covers off and unceremoniously pushing Leon off her in tandem, which jolted him awake. He grabbed his pokéball, ready to let loose a Pokémon, but, alas, their enemy was not one of the crazy kings' goons, but Raihan. And his Rotom. And his shit-eating grin.

"Did you just—," the redhead began.

He interrupted, "Yeeeeep. Perfect shot of the Galar ex-champ, and his lovely princess—or should I say Queen? Or maybe Empresss since you're Johto-jin? Which do you prefer?"

"Delete. That. _Now_!" she hissed.

"Nah-uh, my followers gotta see this!" he teased, leaning against the door with a toothy grin.

Leon sat up, sending a look of his own, "Raihan. Don't post that. She doesn't want the attention."

"...Poor choice of partner then," he whistled, but shrugged. He threw up his hands in surrender when Leon threatened to unleash his Pokémon and Cassandra readied a pillow. "Alright, alright, alright! I give, I give! I'll just be sure to send it to you to savor. Consider it a gift."

"Careful, I'll start thinking we're friends," the purple-haired man smirked.

His "friend's" face contorted in disgust, "I'd rather go shirtless in winter."

Cas raised a brow, so Leon whispered, "He hates the cold."

"Ah. Well, better not spread that pic, or Lapras is going to make it winter all year for you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I said I wouldn't. But hurry up—breakfast is getting cold," he hummed, practically prancing away, leaving Leon chuckling, and Cassandra red as a tomato. The young man grinned, wrapping an arm around her to kiss her cheek.

"Don't worry, he won't post about us unless you're okay with it."

"Still... that was embarrassing. Guess we should have locked the door," she grumbled, slipping from bed. Leon's shirt had been tossed on her side apparently, so she picked it up and held it out for him. He slipped it on, and then retrieved their pokéball belts. She made for the door, but he snagged her wrist to tug her back, and give her a quick kiss that sent a sweet shock through her. Of course, she stared stupidly at his impish grin.

"I can get used to that. And we're _definitely_ locking the door from now on," he hummed, letting her sit on that as he slipped out first to wait for her with his hand held out. Cassandra made an incoherent string of stuttering words before following and flipping up her hood as if she might hide herself under it. She did take his hand, though, a stupid smile coming over her face as they entwined their fingers. Unfortunately, there was no hiding from Raihan, who was flipping pancakes, nor Sonia, who sat at his dining table with a cup of tea while Yamper chomped down on food at her feet. Outside in the courtyard down the stairs she could see the Gym Leaders' Pokémon eating, too.

"Go ahead and take your Pokémon out and give 'em some food—I keep it in the storage just outside. Pancakes will be ready in just a min," the dark-skinned trainer spoke up, his focus solely on breakfast. Cassandra looked to Sonia, who was staring—at Leon. And their entwined fingers. She knew hurt when she saw it and figured now was a good time to get out of the way.

"I, uh, I'll take yours out, too, if you want," she told Leon, whom nodded, and handed her his belt. She moved to Raihan, voice quiet, "I think I'll eat outside."

"I'll join you," he mumbled back, and she went onward. She paused at the door at the bottom of the short stairs leading to the courtyard to look back. Leon had taken a seat across from Sonia, a somber look in his features. Oh boy. Well, at least he could tell her right after she'd figured it out. Cassandra couldn't help feeling bad for them both, but she also was a little glad. Now Sonia would _know_ Leon was _hers_.

She briefly wondered if that made her a bitch.

Maybe. But Leon was still _her_ boyfriend.

Cassandra sighed, shaking her head to clear it, and unleashed their Pokémon. Zacian and Zamazenta emerged and lounged together off on the side, stretching themselves happily in the sunlight. The rest were much the same, working out kinks, rolling about, and talking among each other in their language. Some even spoke with the two legendaries, who, instead of English, used growls and barks, interestingly. She couldn't help thinking how incredible the two Pokémon were as she gathered Raihan's food and extra bowls to start distributing the goods, which were scarfed down quickly. She paused when she came to the two warriors, realizing they were a bit large—and legendary.

"Uh... how big a bowl do you need? Suicine didn't really need much and was a lot smaller than you, and I didn't exactly learn for Reshiram..."

Zamazenta hummed, _We need only as much as the rest; we gain much of our sustenance from the energy of this world. Like sunlight._

 _A true warrior needs little to sustain their strength, after all,_ Zacian added, smug looking as always. She found it amusing how each one had a distinct personality. Zamazenta was cheeky with good wit and a gentle nature. He was also more reasonable, and protective. Fitting for a shield. Zacian, on the other hand, was sharp with her words, and harsh in temperament, but she, too, could be kind; a sword protecting its people.

They were, by far the most interesting Legendaries she had encountered. Suicine had been a sight to behold, of course. The majestic beast had left her in awe their first meeting, but they'd always had a more mystical feel to them, too—like an otherworldly wisdom in a way.

She swore to never let Suicine know she kind of liked the Warriors better.

Zacian woofed with a grin, _My thanks, Chosen._

Zamazenta looked as though he might speak, too, but paused, suddenly looking up back in the house. She followed his gaze and spotted Raihan coming out with two plates and some bottles of Berry juice. The legendary stared even after the Gym Leader reached her, which gave her a good idea what he was really looking at.

 _Worried about your Chosen, Brother?_ Zacian smirked. _Not regretting your choice, are you?_

_It seems to be a... difficult matter. He is doing his best. It seems humans face terrible wars of their own when it comes to the matter of mates? Such strange practices. Or is it part of their culture? I don't recall them being like this before—_

Cassandra decided to stop tuning in, which wasn't really something she understood in terms of how it worked, but somehow could? It was weird, and Suicune had never been able to explain it. She decided not to mull much on it as she munched on the pancakes slathered with syrup and savory sausages.

"You're a good cook."

"Of course. I'm a bachelor living on his own. I can't order takeout _all_ the time," Raihan grinned, though frowned when Flygon hopped near. He nudged him away, "Ooooh, no you don't! No pancakes for you, ya rascal! You're not stealing it and flying away this time, either!"

She laughed, "Your Pokémon take after you I see—they're cheeky."

"Aw, you melt my heart, Queeny. Sure I can't take you off Leon's hands?"

"Well, you _are_ good looking, but... I'm a woman of loyalty, and Leon stole my heart first," she hummed, earning a chuckle. She gestured at him with her fork. "Also... 'Queeny'? Really gonna go with that?"

"Hey, I'm just preparing the headlines that are gonna come out: 'Galar's former Champion King finds himself a Johto Queen'! But I'm just kidding—about stealin' ya. I wouldn't do that to Leon. He may be my rival, but he's my friend, too. Gonna be a shitty time, though, with all the bad vibes he's about to have with Sonia. Heartbroken girls ain't a joke, man."

She hummed, "You sound experienced."

"I mean, _they're_ the ones who thought there was something go on. I told them there wasn't, and they _agreed_ , but I dunno. Girls like to look into things too deep."

"...I can't entirely argue, but guys are just as bad. No, don't try to deny that," she snorted, jabbing a fork at him again. He lifted his free hand in surrender. "And... yeah. I'm worried, but... I'm here when he needs a hug or to vent. Sonia will, uh, hopefully get over it. I'm sure she's pissed since I came out of nowhere and she's been there since forever."

"Now _you_ sound like you speak from experience."

"Mm... not really? Or, well, okay maybe it was? It was a one-sided crush on my part, and we hadn't been friends since childhood so we weren't _that_ close. But I definitely didn't have a chance. I just thought I did. I was still mad at first when I saw he was with a girl he'd met a month ago and we'd known one another for a year and fought together."

"Sounds pretty similar, minus a decade. Who was it?"

"If you _must_ know... Lance—the second guy I called."

He almost choked on his juice, " _What_? For _real_? I mean, yeah, I guess he was decent... wait are you into dragon tamers then?"

" _Don't_ get any ideas and start teasing again. I'll sic Leon on you. If anything I have a thing for _Champions_. Besides, aren't you more a _weather_ genius, not just dragon?"

"Technically, yes, but just yourself calm down, sweatheart. I was just messin'. I just like to flirt and tease. It's what I do. Besides, I couldn't stand being with a girl that won't let me post her picture," he smirked.

She rolled her eyes, "I mean, it's not that I don't like taking pictures—in fact, I have plenty. I just don't want the press. You guys take it waaaaay too far. It's in part why I never did the Champion Cup."

"Damn shame, you know. Would have loved to face you there, or watched you knock Leon down a peg."

"You boys and your battle craze."

"Part of the charm, Johto-jin. Better get used to it. Leon already asked for a battle, right?"

Cassandra laughed, "Yes, he did. Arceus, does this mean he'll do it every chance he gets?"

"Probably," Raihan snickered with a shrug. "If you beat him he will _definitely_ ask for a rematch. He's like me—he won't stop until he's won."

"You think I'll win?"

"I saw your team, love. You're a multi-regional champion. You honestly think you _won't_?"

"He's got a good team, too, and he's not lost but once in in his life. And that's _if_ I beat _you_. You have a strong team, too, although I recommend branching out your types a wee bit."

"And I'll suddenly come to love the cold. Not gonna happen."

"Don't get mad when Lapras whoops you again," she snickered back, and he made a pretty good pout. 

Shouting came from inside then, and the two looked to the windows of the kitchen. Cassandra sighed, crestfallen as she took another bite of her food. This was the worst part of those kinds of conversations. She hoped Leon would be alright. Although, after seeing his friend so hurt, would he even want to be her boyfriend? It was an impossible choice to make between someone you loved and a friend, especially a _childhood_ friend. He shouldn't be giving her up just because he fancied her—the new girl.

"Alright, get talking; what's with the look? You're worried about something to do with Leon. About Sonia, right?" Raihan sighed, interrupting her thoughts.

She gestured, waving it off, "It's fine. Just—."

"Nah, it ain't fine. And since you're as stubborn as your lover boy I'll guess instead... you're worried he might choose Sonia now? Because he knows how she feels?" he tried, and she sent a glare. "Okay, part of it."

"Ugh, you're annoying. Fine, yes. I _admit_... I'm maybe a little worried it's just an infatuation between us since I'm the 'new girl in town' and we've had some pretty adrenaline-fueled moments and I saved his life, then he saved mine, and we kind of keep going back and forth. Everyone knows it makes things more intense. We were trapped alone in the mountains for a few days to boot where we talked and teased each other pretty much all day, so I mean... yeah. And it's not right he might lose Sonia over me. She actually really knows him and cares."

Raihan shrugged, "And? Doesn't invalidate your own feelings. You care plenty, and Leon wouldn't like you for nothing. That idiot is _dense_ as all get out when it comes to girls. I'm honestly still shocked the dumbass actually figured out he liked you even before I helped."

"You don't have to cheer me up about it, I'll get over it."

"I doubt it. You look like the type to mull over things too long like he does. So, shut up and take my advice, alright? If Sonia bails on Leon after this, that's on _her_ , not you. She's the one making it a choice if it comes down to that. And you and Leon? Y'all like each other. Nothing wrong with it. I dig it. He's needed a girlfriend to be honest since he won't get laid with some random chick," he laughed, ducking away from her smack. "But, seriously, love. You don't need to feel bad about what you have, even if it happened quick. Some folks are all in love first sight, some take forever. You're kinda in-between I guess? Things just played out right so that it happened. So, don't be throwing it away 'cause you feel sorry or some stupid shit."

Cassandra regarded him for a while, "Holy shit that's actually amazing advice."

He beamed, chest puffed out, "Of course! I'm not a Gym Leader just for my dazzling good looks."

"Well, it's not for your cocky attitude, either," she snorted, finish the last of her food. "But, seriously... thanks, Raihan."

"No prob, love. Just, try not to take too long to act on it. 'Cause, frankly, we don't know how long we got until this fight comes or how it's gonna end. Better to not waste the time we got left crying over spilled juice and savor what we got with those we care about."

"Yeah," she replied, and it was around then the doors to the canopy garden opened. Leon walked out, looking worse for wear. He was more tired than he'd been when they woke up, that's for sure. He had a plate of food and greeted his Pokémon with a forced smile. Raihan stood up then, bidding her to have fun, and let the two be by themselves on the bench they'd taken up at. She watched the purple-haired man carefully, taking note of every furrow of his brow, the dip of his lips into a frown, the flicker of pain in his eyes. Yeah, he was hurting bad.

She decided not to say anything; rather, she scooted closer so their hips touched, and she could rest her head on his shoulder. He didn't shy away, and, since he'd discarded his half-eaten plate to the space beside him, she reached out and took his hand in hers. He squeezed it almost instantly and sighed, letting his head lean onto hers right back.

He didn't say anything, but she decided that was alright. He'd talk when he needed. For now, she would just do as Raihan suggested, and savor the moment.

After all, there was no telling how many more of them they would get.

\---------

\------------

Cassandra hummed as she brushed through Arcanine's fur, the Pokémon's head resting in her lap. It snoozed contently, ears, nose, and even paws twitching in a dream while she worked any excess fur and knots from the fluffy mane. Her partner thankfully didn't shed _too_ much, but sometimes she had to make a fuss about it. The same went for her other Pokémon. Lucario's fur was a bit easier, so he'd gone first and now worked alone on his meditation near a sunny spot. Boltund was a bit tricky with the static, but she had rubber gloves for that, and now he was happy to roll around in the grass along with Rillaboom. The size difference, of course, made it very amusing, but she was glad to see them getting along.

She glanced over at Haxorus and Tyranitar, the two making growls at one another, but nothing serious or aggressive. They'd had a small "puff-up" match after breakfast, but at some point had determined neither was trying to move in on the other's turf. Corviknight, meanwhile, had formed an odd friendship with the Dragapult, both lounging around, enjoying treats together. Rhyperior was a bit of a loner but was fine with her Pokémon—except Lapras. He did _not_ like her much, and she suspected it was because she was a water type, despite her being the sweetest thing. Her poor Pokémon had been distraught when the ground-rock-type would only snarl and glare at her, and so she had to settle for keeping with her known friends and the new ones she was making—oddly enough, Raihan's Pokémon. She liked to think they just enjoyed her singing, which _was_ pleasant.

The others mingled this way and that, Leon's Charizard having a good time teasing Raihan's dragons at one point, and she had to laugh—the fire-type took _way_ too much after its trainer. Still, the lizard was a sweetheart deep down, and had come to lie beside her as she worked on Arcanine, enjoying gentle rubs along its horns and jawline when she was able.

As for the legendaries, they mostly kept to themselves, soaking in as much light as they could as the sun began to set, and just watching everything. In a way, she wasn't surprised. She recalled Suicine being like that at first, and only finally interacted more with the group as they got to really know her Pokémon—and after being pestered, of course. Reshiram hadn't really gotten a chance to meet her team beyond a few weeks, but he, too, had been somewhat distant; an existence beyond a normal Pokémon. She hoped the two warriors would follow Suicine's pattern, though, and her gut believed so. They already chatted more, but they still had a sense of greatness above the other Pokémon.

Cassandra sighed as a heavy head set itself on hers with a chirp, "Flygon, I told you—no treats. Raihan says you're spoiled enough as it is, and I _gave you some already_."

The green-scaled dragon whined, pressing down a little harder despite her hand coming up to push it away. Charizard rescued her, lifting his head to snap a growl at the Pokémon. The Flygon growled back, but ultimately huffed, lifting its head high. It flapped its wings to both slap them with some air and pop away to sulk like a child.

Yep. Raihan's Pokémon took after him, too.

"Thank-you, Charizard. I promise to give you plenty of belly rubs once I finish up with Arc," she hummed, earning a pleased rumble from the fire-type. Her Arcanine yawned, woken by the moment, and rolled onto his back so his neck was facing her now. She chuckled, gently scratching his snout and chin, earning happy rumbles. He stretched his paws out, toes separating wide, and let his tongue flop free. "You are such a spoiled boy."

"Which you are only making worse—for _all_ of them," a familiar voice called out, and she grinned as she looked over to find an even more familiar tanned face with purple hair tied back in a ponytail. She had to admit, it was almost weird remembering he used to wear a tailored coat now that he was using sweaters or jackets and actual pants. They looked good on him, of course, although she preferred when he did take the tops off. Oh, yes. She quite enjoyed their night together, even if it was only just sleeping. She liked to hope they could move further eventually. That is, if her nervousness didn't make her faint from overheating.

After all, just having him come over made her heart race, and she felt warmer in his presence—both in her face and body. His glowing smile told her he probably felt the same, so she was all too happy to tap the grass space between her and Charizard. He settled down there, making sure to stroke his Pokémon's neck. His other hand briefly gave Arcanine attention, rubbing just inside his ear so his back leg kicked. Naturally, he was becoming a quick favorite for her Pokémon for such treatment.

"Look who's talking now," she hummed, sending a look his way. "How'd the talks go?"

He leaned over to give a quick kiss first, which they both savored, "Good. As it can be, anyways. I would have preferred you there with the other Leaders since you need to meet them at some point."

"I'm just glad they all got here so quick or could video chat. And I will meet them, I promise, but the League called back faster than I thought, so it can't be helped. Won't lie, though, it was awkward borrowing Sonia's Rotom," she winced, recalling earlier. The ginger had kept her tone even when she handed over the Pokémon-fused device, which displayed a video call waiting from the Sinnoh League. Even so, Cassandra could feel the dislike. To be fair, if she were in Sonia's position, she wouldn't like her either. She just hoped it might not last forever, but she wouldn't expect too much.

"Yeah... Sorry. I... I don't really know how to fix it. She won't talk to me right now," he sighed, shoulders slumping.

"It's going to be a while. We girls hurt for a long time. And she's both mad and angry because she had feelings, which makes it worse. But... she'll get over it. Or I guess I should say comes to terms with it. It was your choice and all—I didn't come and steal you or anything. I just... happened to meet you at the right time..."

"You mean near-death? Is that how you like to meet guys then?" he snickered, and she groaned, cheeks warming.

She gestured, "No, I just mean... when you were vulnerable. So, I mean, of course you opened up to me more and not her. You said that was part of why she was mad, right?"

"Ah, yeah. It is... but it's not like you forced me to say anything. I needed someone to talk to, and you understood. I don't think Sonia would—she never wanted to be Champion and never dealt with the pressure. _You_ did. You know what it was like to fail and feel how I've been," he explained, eyes downcast. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "I dunno. Maybe she _would_ have if I talked to her. Maybe. But I don't know that. What I do know is, _you_ did. And still do. And you saved me, in more ways than one, and I've been happier than I have been in a while when I'm with you."

Cassandra smiled a little, "Same—I don't remember being this happy before, or at least not since Unova for sure. I find myself not always thinking about the mistakes I made... and I'm glad I was able to talk to you, too. I'm glad you understand—that I could be vulnerable with you. It... helps."

"And I want you to keep being that way... and to stop worrying about me n' Sonia, alright? We'll figure it out, and either keep being friends or... whatever she needs it to be to move on. But I'm with _you_ , and it's going to stay that way," he smiled back, taking her hand to entwine his fingers with her.

"Oh, good, so I _don't_ need to save you from peril to keep you in love with me?" she smirked, earning a laugh.

"I mean, I prefer doing the rescuing, but I guess I don't mind. Although, I'll make sure to do it somewhere without snow."

"Ha! Yes, that would be nice. But that means I won't be cuddling you half naked to keep you warm."

He snapped his finger, "Damn, that's right! Guess I have to rethink that plan..."

"You dork," she snickered, shaking her head at his foolishness.

"You love it," he smirked back and let his eyes glance around. "Man, look at all these guys just hanging around, having fun. To think, in the wild they'd be at each other's throats."

"One of the many joys—and perhaps miracles—of the bond between trainer and Pokémon. That, and probably the fact they don't need to fight for food now," she giggled, and traded brushing for simply scratching Arcanine's neck, who happily leaned into it. "This actually reminds me of my ranch back home—where all my teams and the Pokémon I've caught are."

"Oh yeah? What's it like again? I don't remember what you said before."

"Ha! You just like hearing me talk. Well, the Ranch isn't actually _in_ town, but some miles outside of NewBark. Naturally I was a poor trainer starting with just the money my parents gave, so the Ranch only came about once I beat Lance and became the... 12th Indigo Champion and 8th Grand Champ—when you beat them the second time. See, we might not be as flashy as you guys, but you get _huge_ perks, including a big payout, and then you can also act on behalf of the League, which they pay you really well for. So I would do that while traveling to the others regions—I think I mentioned that before? Kinda? Anyways, so I had been catching a lot of Pokémon including my other teams by then, and I hated the idea of them stuck in a box when I couldn't bring them with me to other regions, even if they just sleep. So, I asked the League if I could set up a large ranch in the forests around New Bark Town, somewhere at the bottom of the Mt. Silver range. There was plenty of space and I had the funds, so they agreed.

She shrugged as she pulled out her pokégear and brought out pictures for him to scroll through, "It wasn't too big at first, but as I kept working and kept winning and catching Pokémon, I made it bigger to better fit all their needs. Sand, rocks, ponds, grass, trees; I worked to have it all installed for them, and then once I decided to travel to... I think it was Hoenn, actually, I hired on caretakers. Since the ranch was kind of out of the way, I had a house built for people to live and work there, and when I came back I lived there, too. I was old enough to be on my own, although Mom and Dad didn't mind me staying with them. But, yeah; I got to bring all my Pokémon with me after letting them become naturally immunized them to Pokérus, and I stayed probably half a year before heading off to Sinnoh, taking only who I could. If I caught any new, extra Pokémon not for my team, I'd have them approved by the League to send to the Ranch."

"Wow, that's... impressive. Does...Zwe-koon, stay there, too?"

She laughed, " _Suicine_. And, no. They're roaming around Johto right now. They're still technically my Pokémon, though—I never _actually_ released them, so no one will be able to catch them. The other two like it are wandering about as well. I met all of them in the basement of the Burned Tower, but only Suicine faced me personally, the other ones just run away all the time. They help keep a kind of balance to the region with the two birds—Lugia and Ho-Oh. I did encounter the birds, too, but I decided to leave them be and just proved my strength against them."

"Man, I really should have done more adventuring before I became Champion! I feel like I missed out!" he chuckled, pausing when he found a photo of her and her Jhoto team: Arcanine, Tyranitar, Pidgeot, Suicine, Espeon, and Lanturn. "Oh, wow, I've never seen a Pidgeot before. And look at that Espeon! And is that a Lanturn? Wait, why didn't you bring those two here? You could have used them."

"Eevees are rare back in Johto—it's nigh impossible to find them in the wild. I got lucky and met up with Bill, the creator of the storage boxes. He lived in Goldenrod and he had this Eevee he couldn't care for, so he gave it to me to raise. Anyways, my point being: they're super rare. Enough so that I was approached by a breeding organization after I became Champion. They were trying to increase the number of Eevee since they are _very_ popular back home thanks to these Kimono girls that all use one evolution form. I agreed to put Espeon into it, and I don't think he minds one bit. He's quite the ladies' man."

Leon bellowed with laughter, "Oh, man. That's too funny. What about Lanturn?"

"He's from the salt waters of Johto's bays, so he would have trouble adjusting to the fresh water here. That, and he's a homebody these days, I won't lie. He prefers to laze around in his pool back home."

"So, you spoil him."

"...Okay, yes, I spoil him, but if I hadn't, I wouldn't have Lapras, and I always wanted one in my team."

"Do you ever think about getting a Charizard like me? Since they're kinda popular back home?"

"Hmm, not really since I've had Arc since the beginning. Not that I could get any from the Valley where the majority are—their care taker wouldn't allow it unless the Pokemon left itself. Did _you_ always want a Charizard?

"No, not really, if only because I'd never really seen them since they're so rare. People think they nest in Giant's Eye because it's where you can sometimes run into them in Dens, but that's about it."

"So how did you get one as a kid?"

"It was about two years before my Gym Challenge, I think. Poor little guy somehow got lost in the outskirts of the Weald. I think maybe it had been flying with its mother and they got separated. She might have even been killed since he was hurt pretty bad when I found him. I just assumed the worst and cared for him until he was better, and now he's my best bud. Couldn't ask for a better partner," he smiled down lovingly at his Pokémon, who had shifted to put his head on Leon's lap.

"I know what you mean," she hummed, letting her head fall on his shoulders, hands stroking through the thick fur. "I don't know what I'd do without Arc. Saved my butt plenty of times, and he's pulled through even when I thought we might lose."

 _It is your bond—between you and your Pokémon,_ Zacian's voice rang, and the two looked back at the legendries, who had apparently been watching.

Zamazenta smiled, _Your love gives them strength, and so they are able to fight and overcome seemingly impossible odds. Such is the way of things. Such is as it is meant to be._

 _Pokémon and people, together,_ Zacian finished, and the two said no more.

"That... was intense. I don't know if I'll ever get used to it. Kinda wish Charizard could speak like they do through the 'bond' they mentioned."

Cassandra hummed, "Suicine tried to explain it to me. It's... they're just _different_. Pokémon speak through body language and sounds, but the ones we consider legendary and beyond... their bonds are special."

"Kinda like ours, huh?" he winked suddenly, bringing up their entwined fingers so he could kiss the back of her palm. Of course, she blushed.

"Ugh, you're so cheesy. I take back my confession."

"Nuh-uh. Too late. What you _should_ do, though, is agree to have a dinner with me tonight."

"We already do that," she smirked.

He rolled his eyes, " _Without_ Raihan and Sonia."

"You know any good places?"

"Yeep. Although... people are going to notice."

She sighed, slumping some, "I guess... there's no point trying to avoid it. Raihan's been pestering me to post that picture he took of us holding hands earlier. He _really_ wants that first one he took of us in bed, but I swore I'd show his Flygon where he keeps the extra good treats, and he gave up."

"He's a fun guy, and he _does_ mean well by the photos. He's just excited."

"I couldn't tell," she snorted. "But... alright. I'll suffer the attention. I'm sure they'll eat up you how you have a 'foreign' girlfriend."

He laughed, "Oh, they will. Probably something about 'finding love amid dangerous times', 'love will help conquer all'. 'love conquers all: blizzard, dangerous foes, and even distance!'"

He had said it in a _terrible_ narrator voice, so she couldn't help laughing, forcing him to do the same.

"Alright, a date it is... although... it might need to be a casual place. I have no nice clothes, even in my tent that's _still_ in the cave."

"I guess we _should_ go get that..."

"Eventually. I guess. The food's all bad now I bet."

"Well, anyways, how about we go shop first then? On me, of course. So I can spoil my girlfriend."

She chuckled before leaning over to kiss him, "Then dinner is on me—so I can spoil my boyfriend."

"Uh-uh, no can do. I'm not a man who likes to let his woman pay."

"I'm your first woman, how would you know?" the redhead teased, and let out a laugh as he suddenly wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to his lap. Arcanine barked in annoyance, and even slapped a paw at Leon's leg. The man just roughed up his mane, earning a snort and annoyed ear flick.

"Call it instinct. And Momma's orders. She always told me if I ever got a girl, never let her pay. Dad never let her, so now I can't either."

" _Really?_ Man, I haven't officially met and I love her!" Cassandra laughed, but then paused, brows scrunching. "Wait—you've not mentioned your Dad before."

"Oh, yeah, well, he died before Hop was born, so I was only about seven, I think? He got sick, and it was just too late when we caught it. I was pretty sad at the time, but, to be honest, it's been so Iong I don't remember him all that well anymore besides a few things. I got Charmander the next year, so I got sucked into training and going on my Challenge. Mom loved him a lot, though, for sure. She stayed strong, but she would cry a lot after bed time. She would always get sad whenever he came up, too, so I kind of stopped to help her out. I guess it just followed me to adult hood, too. Hop never got to know him, so he's mostly just been sad about never knowing him.

"I'm sorry, 'Lee."

He smiled, kissing her cheek, "Thanks, but don't you worry about us. We've come a long way since then."

"Still, it must have been rough. Your Mom must be one heck of a badass. Wise, too."

"Oh yeah. She's the best there is. She tolerates _both_ Hop and me, after all. She always had an earful waiting for me when I take too long to come home. And I just know she'll give me one for waiting so long to bring you home with me!" 

"I will pay to see it."

"Wha—aww, c'mon, 'Cas! You're supposed to be on _my_ side!" he whined, putting his chin on her shoulder, giving her sweet Pikachu eyes.

"And risk being on your mom's _bad_ side? Boy, you crazy," she snorted, pushing his face back. 

"I mean, I can't really argue against that," he pouted. 

"Uh-huh. So, when do you think I can meet her?"

"Once we stop the bad guys, so it's safe. We'll fly right on over with Hop... or she'll come find us. Depends on how long her patience lasts with me," he hummed, narrowing his eyes. "We might want to do a video call to give ourselves more time."

"Well, I'm down for that."

"Good. But first, we need to go on that dinner date." 

"Yes, we do! And I still insist on repaying you. I don't like not having it fair," she hummed, and his grin got even cheekier.

"I mean, if you _really_ want to pay me back... we can have a _lengthy_ discussion about it _after_ dinner."

Cassandra's cheeks went red again, and she lightly smacked his chest, "You're such a tease!"

"That's not a 'no'," he mused, brow raised smugly.

"No, it's not," she grinned right back, hands moving to tangle into his hair. She brought her lips close to his, all-too eager to steal a kiss.

"Hate to ruin the moment—hot stuff, by the way—but I got some news you're gonna wanna hear."

Leon could have killed Raihan. He really could. Cassandra, likewise, could have ripped him a new one, interrupting their moment. Both only glared, though, which their not-a-friend-at-the-moment ignored and instead jabbed a thumb in direction of the city.

"Sonia's tracked the signal. We found their base where they're keeping Hop and Gloria. She's calling everyone back to the Vault to decide what to do with it."

Both Champions looked to one another, eyes wide.

The date would have to wait.

\--------------------------

 **TMWolf:** Damn kids needing saving and shit. Our Champions need to go on a date, dang it! >:(

Jk lets go save Hop and Gloria!! :'D 

Fun fact: I didn't mention Leon's dad at all in the initial draft but decided it was weird he never came up so I winged it. :'>

Now a fun pic with Raihan, and basically to summarize what their dynamic is... and what I aim for it to be in the future X)


	14. Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gonna rescue some kiiids
> 
> I BS'd the cover lmao

Cassandra looked about the meeting room of the Vault, taking in the seven new faces. Milo. Nessa. Kabu. Bea. Bede. Gordie. Piers. Raihan made the final Gym Leader, but the others she was meeting for technically the second time. They didn't know _her_ , of course, beyond that she was Leon's girlfriend—the news had spread like wildfire thanks to Raihan—and that she was their link to the foreign Leagues. Of course, that's not why they were all here. Rather, it was time to make their first move against the enemy. To be specific: they were finally going to rescue Hop and Gloria. As such, they'd all been summoned from across Galar, their Gyms left to their subordinates while they discussed matters here with each other and their former Champion and herself.

The redhead couldn't help feeling just a bit out of place, though; even now as they waited for Sonia they were conversing among themselves like old friends, which she supposed they were. The Leaders were all rather closely involved, certainly more-so than back home. Sure, the Johto Leaders knew everyone and would have yearly meetings, but the Galarian group were far more casual. She'd heard many hung out with each other on a regular basis, and some even had their own rivalries such as Nessa—with Milo. Not exactly the best rival to choose considering the type difference, and the fact the grass-type Gym Leader didn't seem to acknowledge the existence of it, but what did she know?

All in all, it made her think of a family, of which she was technically an outsider, too. An "in-law", of sorts, only she was just "the girlfriend". 

"So, Cassy, right?" the woman sitting on Leon's left inquired. It was Nessa, her dark skin color and blue highlights that matched her eyes unmistakable. 

She chuckled, " _Cassandra_ , or 'Cas for short. Only my mom calls me 'Cassy'."

"I feel you, 'Cas it is. So you're a Champ back home? Or was it Grand Champ? Super Champ? You guys have a lot of titles."

"Ha! Maybe compared to you guys, but it's just Indigo that has the double title thanks to our set up. But, yes, I'm a Grand Champion since I conquered both Johto and Kanto Gyms and beat the Elite Four twice. Since they use a stronger set of Pokemon if you have all sixteen badges, it's considered a huge deal. They throw even more at you than before," she explained, Nessa's brow rising as she did so.

"It's sound complicated, but fun."

"More like time-consuming, traveling two entire regions. It takes at least two years to become a Grand Champ,and that's if you're training religiously. A lot of people just finish one side of the League and they're content with that."

Leon smirked, winking at the woman, "She's just an over achiever."

"So, naturally, they're perfect for each other," Raihan snickered, shooting a toothy grin towards all of them. 

"Sorry to butt in, but you've been to other regions, too, right—that's why you know so many Champions?" a young man with pale skin, stocky build, and hair and freckles to match her own asked next. His green eyes were warm, vibrant, and welcoming. He was like a cuddly Teddiursa. It took her a minute, but she remembered he was Milo. He was apparently a Wooloo farmer, and his hat, resting on the table in front of him, certainly matched the profession.

"No, you're fine, and yes—I've been all over my home land's continent. We have Hoenn to the south east, then up towards the north is Sinnoh and Unova. There's other regions I haven't visited yet, but probably will at some point. Galar is the farthest I've ever been from home, though," she chuckled.

"Oh wow. Your culture must be pretty different, huh? Even your accent is."

"Oh, _definitely._ We're a lot more... hmm... low-key, I guess? We don't have nearly as industrial of settings except in maybe Goldenrod. Although, Kanto's probably a bit more similar to here—they've really been upgrading over the last few years thanks to the speed rail. But Johto still retains a lot of its ancestral feel. Kimonos are even still in fashion back home."

"Are they really?" another voice spoke up, this time belonging to the oldest of the group. He looked probably in his sixties, with his hair a dark gray with white streaks. He had wrinkles as well, but he looked in tip-top shape still. He chuckled at her confused expression, "My apologies. My name is Kabu, the Motostoke Gym Leader. I have family in Johto, although I'm actually from Hoenn myself. I heard you mention both regions, so I was curious."

"Oh! Seriously, you're from across the pond, too?" Cassandra grinned, sitting up.

The older man laughed, "Yes! I was invited decades ago by the Galarian League. I was quite rebellious back then and thought it would be a grand thing to leave home instead of trying to become a Gym Leader there, so I came here. I still visit when I can since my brother lives there, and I have cousins in Johto."

"Oh, wow. Well, to answer your question: Yes, kimonos are still a big deal. The Kimono girls are always immensely popular. I don't know when you left, but Hoenn's been doing good. They survived the incident with the Legendary Pokemon well enough."

"Ah, yes, I was worried there for a while. My brother said the weather suddenly became erratic for some time and then it just suddenly stopped. It was the strangest thing. You say it was a Pokemon?"

She gestured, "I don't know all the specifics, but, yes, the two Pokemon from the legends in the area—do you know them?"

"I'm afraid not. I was never interested in those kinds of thing. I only ever had a mind for Pokemon battles."

"Ha! I see there's a theme going on; I'd say we're all pretty much like there here," she snickered.

"Hey! We got other hobbies," Raihan snorted, putting on a good pout.

Nessa raised a brow, "Clubs and tits don't count, 'Rai."

"Ouch. Well then neither does modeling."

"That _totally_ counts."

"Not if being a _fantastic_ lover doesn't."

Cassandra withheld her snicker as she met Kabu's gaze, "We can chat about home later, if you want? It's kinda nice meeting somehow here from across the pond, too!"

"Likewise. Oh, and I have not said so yet, but your aid in this time is most appreciated."

"Of course. Always happy to put a stop to some evil-doers plans."

"At this point, I'd almost say it's your _hobby_ ," Leon grinned, nudging her playfully.

"Pffft. More like my _job_ , although the League doesn't pay me _near_ enough for it," she grumbled, setting her elbow on the table to put her chin into her palm in mock-annoyance. 

"You have experience with this kind of thing then?" another Gym Leader piped up. She vaguely recalled his name was Gordia—the Chirchester Gym. If she remembered right, he'd taken over from his mother not long before she'd come to Galar. Last she'd heard, his mom was on some world tour to explore while she was "still young" or something? Whatever the case, that left Gordie as the representative of his gym.

Cassandra nodded, "Yeah, though usually whole organization and not two delusional nut jobs who somehow bribed the populace. They all follow similar patterns, though; like trying to use hostages—and for not taking us out when they could have. They're the showman type. They're trying to make a spectacle of it, but that works in our favor." 

"How so?" the white-haired man pressed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Like making enough mistakes for Sonia to find them—and give us time to make a move."

"Hmm, true, that does help," another man spoke, this one the most unique of them all, with this strange, Zebtrika-like hair, and violet-and-black attire mixed with white. He was pale enough to resemble a ghost, and looked like he needed sleep. He had quite the punk aesthetic. "But what even—"

The door to the room opened as he spoke, and Sonia waltzed right in; she didn't even miss a beat as she came to the front of the room where a projector console stood. She attached a laptop to it as she powered up the screen. Leon and the Gym Leaders promptly sat up properly, giving her undivided attention. After all, Sonia had, for all her keeping to herself, holding up the Vault's labs or in Raihan's guest room, been up to a lot of things. Tracking Eternatus' energy to help pinpoint Shieldbert and Swordward was one such thing. The creature might have been their best weapon, but the same energy they used to hurt them left a trail. As such, as soon as she got the results they so desperately wanted, Sonia had summoned them all together here for a meeting. As it stood, she had the projector show-casing a map of Galar, and a red dot in the Wild Area.

"The reason it's taken so long is because, for all their crazy talk, these 'kings' are actually smart. They've made their hideout in the Wild Area, somewhere in the Dusty Bowl. There's plenty of dens in this area giving off energy similar to Eternatus and the wishing stars, so it's made tracking hard to do. However, Eternatus still has a _unique_ signature, and I managed to snag it thanks to all the data from the lab," she explained. "I believe they're actually using a den itself as their base, so it's just a matter of which one. Unfortunately, I can't accurately pinpoint from this range even with the extra video call trace. We have to go the Dusty Bowl if we hope to figure it out."

"Then we should head out at once," Kabu spoke up.

"We need to make a plan first—like who will go and who will stick around to make sure they don't try anything while we're gone. They have spies all around, so even if we get in and go after them, they could send out word for an attack or even warn the Kings," Piers added, earning a few nods. "And I won't leave my city and my sister undefended."

"I'll be going, that's for sure. Hop's my brother and Gloria's my successor. I got them involved in this, I'm going to help get them out," Leon stated, his voice making it clear he wouldn't budge.

"Since 'Cas is going to go with you, _naturally_ ," Raihan hummed with a cheeky grin before he put on a serious look, "I'll stick here in Hammerlocke and keep an eye out from this side."

"Kabu, you should watch over Motostoke—it's one of the bigger towns and stands smack dab to the south, so they may target it," Bea added. "I'll follow with Leon and... Cassandra, was it? My Pokémon have a good advantage in that area, and my team has some of the highest physical attack power among us. Allister can watch over our gym while I'm gone."

Gordie hummed, "I worry about our numbers, though. We have a good amount of trainers, but I don't want to spare too many for the den, either. Leon and Cassandra here have the legendary Pokémon, which might help..."

"Or give those assholes what they want—they're after them aren't they?" Nessa questioned, though not harshly.

"Then just send me there, and I'll show you how it's done. I need to give Gloria a piece of my mind anyways, getting caught like that!" the youngest of them growled, Bede, she remembered. She wasn't sure if he meant it, or if he was like Silver and spouting hot air as a rival.

Cassandra sighed, "The three of us will have to do. We can't afford to spare more with the foreign League groups still about a week out thanks to delays. We can try and hope Swordward and Shieldbert won't make a move, but it's no guarantee. They're not going keep staying quiet forever. None of the organizations I had to deal with ever have."

"Do we even know what they're doing?" Gordie frowned, frustration clear behind his shades.

"Eternatus is practically unlimited energy," Sonia hummed. "It could be powering some weapon? Or something that affects Pokémon? It's hard to say—the legend itself never explained much beyond that the Darkest Day was bad enough we needed Zamazenta and Zacian to stop it."

The fighting-type leader smacked her fist on the table, "All the more reason to go find them and stop them before they succeed! We've already wasted too much time doing nothing, and look where it got us! They have Eternatus now!"

"We can't just go barging in, Bea," Kubo, the eldest, scoffed. "You'll have to avoid detection until we find Hop and Gloria, else we risk them getting hurt."

"Then Leon definitely _shouldn't_ go anywhere alone," Piers snorted. "He'll get lost trying to find them."

"Are you _seriously_ cracking that joke right now?" the former Champion snapped, ready to stand up, but Cassandra put an arm on his hand.

The dark-type gestured, "Unfortunately, no. It's not a joke. You are _notoriously_ bad with directions."

"That's where me n' Bea would come in, although a map to find the place would help—along with a way to know the proximity of Eternatus. I bet they're not right next to it, so if we avoid Eternatus during the search we should manage."

"Well, I'm going to be upgrading Leon's Rotom anyways to detect the sources. Bea's, too. Unfortunately, Cassandra, your pokégear can't do much more than call for us when you find something," the ginger professor mused, and she tried not to take that as a personal jab.

"Look, we don't have a lot of time, folks. We need to get Hop and Gloria to safety so we can let loose on these Weedle shits, alright? Our best shot is sending a few in there to find 'em like we have. The rest need to keep on guard out here. We got our volunteers, with two champions among them. I think that suits our needs just fine. But we need to get going _now_ ," Raihan suddenly barked, surprising more than a few people. They often forgot he could be quite intimidating when serious, and when he was, people listened.

Kabu sighed, "Fine. But I still suggest you all do so _discreetly_. Only fight as necessary and try to disguise yourselves. We won't be able to fly to you right away to help if you get into a bind."

"I think we can manage that. I guess we'll meet up with you, Bea, and Sonia you, too, to discuss things further?" Leon spoke, looking between the two women. They nodded.

The Hammerlocke leader stood, "Alright, then the rest of us need to plan how we want to keep in contact and have our own trainers be at the ready. It's not the best, but we have back up coming, so we just have to hold out until then."

And that was how it ended, the parties breaking off; Cassandra and Leon staying behind with Bea and Sonia, the latter of whom worked quickly to upgrade both Rotoms. It thankfully wasn't too difficult, and, sure enough, the map of the region in their phones had a blinking dot in the Dusty Bowl area.

"Alright, you're good to go. Cassandra," the ginger mused, looking her way. The redhead made sure not to be phased by her cool gaze. "Your pokégear is technically not traceable—not in a way they'd suspect. Use it to contact for help or send an SOS or whatever it can do. The Rotom phones should only be used for tracking."

"Sounds like a plan. I'm ready to pulverize those cowards," Bea growled, punching her fist into the palm of her hand. "I brought things to hide myself from the crowd, so I just need to change and then I can go any time."

"We need to go get clothes from Raihan, so meet us at Hammerlock's stairway."

Sonia frowned, "You're going _now_?"

"Yes," Leon nodded firmly. "Hop and Gloria have waited long enough. The Kings could have finally decided they're not worth it anymore—maybe even done worse to them. We're going. Today."

"I—fine," the woman spat, but then softened. She didn't look at him as she uttered, "Be safe."

"We will. Come on, 'Cas, Bea," he beckoned, and they walked out with him. Cassandra spared a look back, and, once again, felt sorry for Sonia.

But that wouldn't change her feelings for Leon.

There was no time to continue that train of thought as the three trainers hurried back to their abodes to gather their things. Thankfully, Raihan had plenty of extra clothes to use, including hoodies, shades, and hats. By the end of their wardrobe change, Leon only somewhat _resembled_ the ex-Champion once he was in his get up of sweats. Cassandra likewise, made sure her hair was tucked into a bun and held in place with the help of a hat. Slightly baggy clothes were used to hide her exact shape, and a pair of goggles to both obscure her eyes and protect from any sandstorms.

That done, they hurried to meet Bea at the entrance, grabbing their packs of items and gear along the way. The Gym Leader waited for them, clad in long track gear, a hat of her own, and also goggles for the sand. She regarded them briefly, and then motioned.

"Alright, let's go. My Rotom's already out. Can your Charizard handle all three of us?"

"I think so. Two on the back, one carried in his claws. The Duty Bowl is close enough it should be alright, but he'll need a break after."

She nodded, "That's fine. We have to search for the right den anyways."

Leon released his Pokémon, "Alright, bud; what's the verdict? Think you can take us all to Dusty Bowl?"

The Pokémon rumbled as he looked between the three of them. He pondered for a moment, but then nodded and leaned down to let Leon and Cassandra on his back. With them settled he approached the smaller fighter, who turned around and held her limbs out. The lizard-like Pokémon slipped his arms under hers and curled them back in a tight grip. Grunting, he flapped his wings hard, slowly getting them off the ground. It almost seemed the weight might be too much, but then—lift off. Charizard got into the air, just much slower and lower than before. To her credit, Bea stayed incredibly calm despite her legs dangling over open air, the ground far below. She was a tough one.

She luckily didn't need to be tough for long. The small dust area, a mix between savanna and a desert, appeared and Charizard dived down to make a shaky landing near the northern side. He panted lightly, the exertion of carrying three people taking its toll. Leon made sure to give him a potion before returning him to his ball. Bea had already started moving, though, ever to go-getter.

"This way," she called, and they followed.

A light sandstorm was brewing, and the cries of strong Pokémon rang out, but they were left unmolested, which was a boon they needed. Despite the winter season, it was still warm—and dry—in the wasteland. The sand was a bit bothersome, but Bea pressed through without hesitation, following the energy level spikes her Rotom phone kept picking up. They ventured this way and that, passing by a variety of dens, but settled on one that didn't have the usual magenta glow. Normally, that meant the den was empty, but their phones told them quite a different story: there was a _lot_ of energy radiating from within—Eternatus energy.

Bea turned to face them, "This is it. Be ready."

They only nodded, and clambered in. The Gym Leader went first, using her phone to shine a light. Unlike other dens, there was a wide, gentle slope to ground below—like it had been dug out properly and modified. They couldn't see beyond the ground floor, so they slid down carefully. The cave bottom had a ceiling high enough to house even the legendary warriors, and dirt gave way to a proper cobbled stone pathway. Lights lined the now stone walls, and it reminded her of an ancient castle hallway like at Hammerlock. But that would be ridiculous, building a castle underground.

And yet, as they cleared the hallway to the main part of the den, they found just that. There were touches of modern, but the large, stone structure situated in the vast expanse of the den resembled a smaller version of the castle just up on the hill, albeit with less towers. There was also a guard at the entrance, prompting them to take cover behind some boulders.

"We'll have to deal with the security, but we don't want to raise the alarm," Cassandra hummed. "Which means we need to find a way in and the quickest way to Hop and Gloria..."

"Is there anything we can do so the Rotom can find them exactly?" Leon inquired.

Bea hummed, "If he had his phone and we rang it, then maybe? Assuming the two are where they're keeping their things."

"Well, we do need to get their gear," the redhead mused.

"It could be worth a shot, but if we call, they might notice us..."

Cassandra flipped out her pokégear, "Not mine, it doesn't have the same signal. Punch in his number and call it."

Leon did so, letting it ring just long enough for Bea's Rotom to pick up a trace. Thankfully, no one answered the phone and they remained unnoticed behind the boulder.

"Looks like it's in pretty deep. What about Gloria's?"

"I'll call hers, too," Leon replied. Again, they picked up the signal without too much trouble.

The silver-haired woman nodded, "Alright, got it. Looks like the phones together. I can't say the two of them are in the same area, but it's our best shot. Now we need to get in... Hmmm... Alright, I got this. You two act like my underlings, and Leon... you stay quiet and keep as much of yourself hidden."

"Wha—Bea—," the man guffawed, but the gym leader held her hand right up to his ace.

"Not. One. Word. You're in trouble with your superior, so you don't get to talk. Cas, you are, too, but not as bad. Just roll with it and trust me. Now, c'mon, I'll show you how the right attitude can get you anywhere," she smirked, adjusting her attire to hide her appearance better, but she walked on in such a way you wouldn't think she didn't belong here. Cassandra couldn't help smirking; she'd pulled a similar stunt before with Team Rocket, but not nearly as smoothly. She'd still been green back then, but Bea had the kind of fighting spirit that wouldn't let her ever be "green" it seemed.

She and Leon followed behind, and although the Gym Leader was confident, the redhead did worry a little as they drew closer and closer. The guard, of course, noticed, and stopped them immediately.

"Who are you—."

Bea was quick to interrupt, "Are you _serious_? _Ugh,_ okay, look, I know I'm not in uniform but _excuse me_ for having to rush back here after we finished our work because otherwise those asshole Gym Leaders would have caught onto things. And _excuse me_ if we didn't have time to change. And _excuuuse_ _me_ if we just had to go walking through an Arceus-forsaken _sandstorm_ to get back! Do you know how much sand I have in places it should never be?! So, you're damn right you don't recognize us because we're filthy, tired, and want to go take a freaking shower!"

"Boss, that's—," Cassandra started, but the gym leader whirled and jabbed a finger at her.

"Not a word. _Especially_ from _you_ , you worthless idiot!" she snapped to the redhead and then to Leon, who held his arms up in surrender. The guard, to his credit, kept quiet—if only because the situation was incredibly awkward for him. He did cough, though, returning Bea's attention to him. She growled, " _What_?!"

"Go... Go on in. Sorry."

"Damn right. Get your asses moving you two, I'm about to show you what happens when you can't do one simple thing right!" she snapped again, waltzing on through. Cassandra and Leon glanced at once another, and then slunk by, shoulders and heads down like scolded Growlithes. The guard didn't make eye contact, perhaps wanting to avoid suffering Bea's wrath, too. That worked in their favor, though. Once inside and around the corner, the Gym Leader paused to turn around, and grinned confidently at them. She even added a thumbs up, "Told ya. Now, follow me. Signal seems to be on this side."

They did so obediently, preferring to not talk much and just follow the phone's guide. Occasionally other people would show up, but they were clad in normal garbs and didn't seem to notice anything amiss. It was a strange place, filled with seemingly ordinary people and only a few dressed as what could be considered guards. The castle was a maze of hallways, and the tension was thick as they pressed further and further into enemy territory until, at last they found where the signal was strongest. There was a guard in front of the door, though, one who was not nearly as welcoming.

"Hey, you're not supposed to be here!" he snapped, stepping forward with a baton ready as Bea approached. He almost said something more, but she suddenly struck, slamming her fist into his neck. He choked on the words, dropping his weapon and reaching towards his throat with haggard, pained gasps. She followed up with a fierce strike to his groin. He couldn't even screech, his eyes rolling back as he passed out from the pain.

"Dear Arceus, that was harsh," Leon winced as Bea pat the man down and found his key card.

"He would alarm the base otherwise. Besides, we need his card," she mused as she tapped the door's lock with it, opening it. They entered a holding room for items first, the signal leading them to not just one, but both phones tucked away in a container. It was practically a miracle, but the two teens' pokéballs were left with their phones and bags. The Pokémon were being kept in some subdued state inside by the look of things, but they were alright. That just left their trainers.

"Here, let's try this door," Cassandra motioned. The Gym Leader handed her the key and she opened it. To their relief, there were, indeed, cells. Most were empty, but not far from the end two cells each held one occupant.

" _Hop_!" Leon bellowed, slamming his hands onto the door as he spotted his brother inside. A groan was the response, the young man having been asleep. He mumbled his older brother's name while the Leon motioned quickly for the key. To his dismay, it didn't work, but that was going to stop him. He grabbed a pokéballs from his belt, "Aegislash, take that door out!"

The Pokémon flared from it's containment, and with a quick slash, cut clean through the metal. The door had barely crumbled before Leon burst through, almost tripping on the way to his brother, who sat up groggily.

"'Lee...?" he rumbled, his voice slurred, as if he were still half-asleep or drunk. His movement were equally unbalanced. It made Cassandra think he'd been drugged.

"Hop! Hop! Oh, Arceus, Hop you're okay! Or did they hurt you? Are you hurt anywhere?!" the older brother rasped, checking over the younger teen quickly. His brother grumbled, weakly trying to get rid of the nosy hands.

"Get're.... off," he grumbled.

Cassandra glanced between him and the other door. Aegislash was thankfully willing to listen and cut that one down, too. Inside was a young teenaged girl. Her brown hair was down to her shoulders and she wore the trademark shirt if the champion, with light colored pants to match with her hat. The redhead recognized Gloria easily, but unlike her companion, she was fully conscious, and very confused. She stepped back when they approached, uncertain, until Bea seemed to understand, and pulled off her hood. Only then did recognition pass the teen's face and she came forward. The Gym leader held out the girl's pack and gear to her.

"Bea! Leon! Hop was drugged—he was fighting back too much, so they gave him some kind of sleeping powder," she explained as she gathered her things, slipping on a coat and her pokéball belt.

"I have a full heal. It's meant for Pokémon, but it might work—just give him a little though," Cassandra spoke up, coming by Leon's side. In her hand, she held out a small vial. He took it and held it to Hop's lips. The young man was reluctant, but when he got some in, Hop coughed it down. The effects were almost immediate, but even then the young man was still groggy as he regained some composure; enough to put on a jacket himself and his belt, anyways.

"How... did yo... find usss, bro?" he groaned.

Leon kept a strong hand on his brother's back, "Sonia found where this place was, and then we tracked your phone. We got lucky that it was all in the same place. We need to leave, though— _now_."

"They have Eternatus—they're doing terrible things to it! Its energy is unstable; it's been gone from the lab too long," Gloria cursed, shaking her head. "We have to rescue it!"

"We're going to try, but we have to regroup with the other Gym Leaders and figure out what to do. If they release it, we do have Zacian and Zamazenta to help," Cassandra explained, and the two younger trainers blinked in surprise.

"What!?" the young girl gasped. "You have Zacian?"

"Zama... here?" Hop mumbled.

"I didn't think anyone else would... no, it's fine," the girl shook her head. "Okay, how do we escape then?"

Suddenly, the alarm blared.

"Fuck," Cassandra hissed. "They know we're here. We've got to make a break for it."

"Hop, can you run?" Leon asked, but his brother's stumbling steps were enough of an answer. He cursed as the redhead pulled out her Arcanine.

"Put him on, Arc will keep him safe," she spoke, and he complied. She urged Gloria up behind him. "Your Pokémon haven't recovered yet, so you keep Hop steady, alright? We'll protect you guys on the way out."

"Alright, we're counting on. I got you, Hop," the teen nodded, taking hold of Arcanine's mane tightly with her arms wrapped securely around her friend.

Bea took the lead, bringing out her Machamp, "Alright, follow me. I remember the way out."

"We're right behind you. Lucario, come on out to help," the redhead called. Combined with the Machamp and Aegislash, it was a good team for close combat. Still, that wasn't going to make the fight to freedom any easier. The original guard was still down, but more were sure to follow. They were ready, though, and by the time the first showed up, Machamp was quick to knock them back. They didn't particularly want to hurt them badly, but enough to take them out. There were a lot of them, though, so they pushed and fought, slashing, kicking, and punching their way through and even blasting Pokémon with a flamethrower from Arcanine as needed.

As such, they finally managed to burst through the entrance after what felt forever, surprising the outside guard. They were free at last, and with a clear way back to the entrance. At least, that had been their hope. It was squandered as two familiar Braviaries swooped overhead and landed down with a terrible gust that almost knocked them all backwards. They shrieked at them, puffing up high to intimidate as they allowed their riders to disembark: the "Kings" of Galar.

The pressure from before was there, and without being called, Zacian and Zamazenta appeared in their golden armor, howling loudly in challenge. They growled at the two, brandishing their weapons.

"Well, well... I admit I did not think you lot so bold. Yet, here. You. Are," Shieldbert spat, Eternatus' ball held tight in his left hand. It's energy pulsed, and the air felt thick. Heavy. Cassandra could see the slight grimace in the legendaries' features.

"What can I say? We just couldn't stay away. I hadn't gotten to see your ugly mugs yet either," Bea snapped while her Machamp bellowed in challenge.

"Watch yourself, _peon_. You think you succeeded because you rescued the brats? Eternatus' power is _ours_ to control now, and you are in _our_ domain!" Swordward snarled, drawing his blade. "You will not win."

"Yeah, you think that," Cassandra snapped back. "Zacian!"

The Pokémon responded, blade flaring to unleash a blast of her power. It threw the kings back and knocked down their Braviary, which squawked in pain. The two men scrambled to their feet, and Swordward pressed the button on his device. Eternatus' pokéball flared, and, like before, a wave of energy blew forth at them.

Leon bellowed, " _Zamazenta_!"

The legendary leaped forward to brace with his shield armor, summoning a wall of light appeared to take on the attack. He stood firm, but the Pokémon still struggled greatly as tendrils of energy flared about, leaving a heavy static in the air. Zacian snarled, flinching and wincing at whatever the energy was doing to her. The blast finally dissipated against Zamazenta's stalwart move, but left him panting after enduring the harsh energy.

"Eternatus' energy is too strong! We have to get out!" Gloria hissed, both fear and pain in her voice.

"She's right—even I can tell we can't win this here," Bea growled. "Looks like we're busting our way out. Machamp! Time to Gigantamax!"

The Pokémon roared energetically and braced itself as Bea activated the bracelet on her wrist. It flared brightly, and she focused on the bond with her Pokémon—but nothing happened. She frowned and tried again.

Nothing.

" _What_!?"

Gloria paled, "It's Eternatus' energy. It's strong enough to stop Gigantamax!"

Shieldbert bellowed with laughter, "Yes, that's right! Despair, for you have no hope of beating us as long as we have Eternatus! Even now you are surrounded!"

Sure enough, their trainers from within the castle were beginning to come forth. They would be surrounded by Pokémon with Eternatus' power blocking their way. They were trapped, and no way out but the one entrance.

"What do we do?" Leon hissed.

Cassandra's mind worked hard. It was, without doubt, the worst situation she'd been in, and she'd almost died a few weeks ago. The League wasn't here yet. The other Gym Leaders were too far away to help, and they couldn't be sure they could even get a call out down here. There were too many trainers to face, Hop was still groggy, both his and Gloria's Pokémon weren't ready to fight, Zacian and Zamazenta could hold back Eternatus' energy, but not forever, and their regular Pokémon certainly couldn't handle a direct hit. Worse still, no Gigantamax or Dynamax meant neither Leon nor Bea's Pokémon could super-size and create a massive advantage.

So, what could they do? They had no way out.

Unless—but, no, it was crazy.

Yet, what else was there?

"Who else has a Pokémon that knows Hyperbeam? Or Earthquake or something?" she spoke quietly, but enough others could hear.

"Not mine," Bea answered.

"Both Haxorus and Rhyperior know it."

"Good, then how many know protect?"

"All of mine," the Gym Leader nodded.

Leon replied, "Aegishield has a special shield move, and so can Rillaboom—what are you thinking?"

"Well, you're not gonna like it, but—"

"Watch out!" Gloria shouted, pointing. Just as she said so, the kings unleashed another wave, blocked this time by Zacian parrying with her blade and Zamazenta his shield. Again the Pokémon suffered for it. From behind, Arcanine and Machamp fired off blows at the rear, a mixture of fire and boulders, warding off the first wave of trainers. It wasn't going to last long, though.

"Get _all_ your Pokémon out now! We're going to blast our way to the surface and bury this damned place!" Cassandra hissed, urging her team free. "We use big hitters to blast, the rest to guard from the aftermath."

"You're crazy!" Bea rasped, eyes widening.

Gloria shook her head, "There's no way that'll work!"

"It's our only shot!" the redhead barked back.

Leon grimaced, "Alright, let's do it—you wouldn't suggest it otherwise, and I don't have any ideas."

"We'll be buried alive!" the Gym Leader snapped.

"Not if we have as many as we can using protect or a guard. Leon, are your guys ready? We need to give ourselves time and make their goons back off. Zacian and Zama are the only ones that can handle Eternatus"

"I can do that—Rillaboom knows a little something."

 _We will stand firm. Do what you must!_ the sword-wielder snarled.

Zamazenta growled, _But be quick!_

"Fine! Fine! Just tell us when!" Bea snapped, not the least bit happy with things.

"Alright," Cassandra nodded, and motioned to Gloria and Hop. "First, you two get off so Arcanine can do his thing. The rest of you, bring everyone out."

All trainers did as told, only Goria and Hop keeping their teams in their balls. Pokémon surrounded their trainers protectively, snarling and growling at the enemy. Zacian and Zamazenta stood at the head, facing the two "kings", while Leon sent Rillaboom to take on the crowd of trainers.

"First things first, Boltund, Use Helping Hand. Arcanine give us a Howl!" she motioned to her Pokémon, who barked in compliance. Boltund paused to take in energy, and then, in unison with Arcanine, let loose a mighty howl that echoed through the chamber. The allies around them barked and chirped and whooped, their battle vigor increased along with their power. She looked to Eternatus, the kings smirking as they readied another go. So. They had to take time between hits. Good. "Zacian, go, now!"

The Pokémon unleashed her blade once again, briefly throwing the two off guard, but they countered with a blast from Eternatus, that was weakened by the attack, but only Zamazenta's shield could properly dispel it. Meanwhile, Cassandra looked to Leon, who nodded.

"Rillaboom, Boomburst, now!" he bellowed, and his Pokémon let out a savage shriek before it began to slam down hard rapidly on its drum. It grew louder and louder until the grass-type let out an overwhelming roar that made the ground shake and forced the trainers back from the pain in their ear drums and pressure of it.

This was it.

Their moment.

"Everyone— _Hyper Beam!_ " Cassandra commanded, pointing towards the ceiling closer to where they'd entered. The roof wasn't that far away, which meant the attack would clearly hit. Leon repeated her command, and, in nearly the same moment, Lapras, Tyranitar, Rhyperior and Haxorus each fired off a massive, powerful beam of golden light. All struck home, blasting into the thinner side of the rock face and drug across the ceiling this way and that. One beam alone might not have been enough, but with the combined attack of all four Pokémon, the rock cracked and burst in a booming explosion. The earth groaned immediately after, and the ground began to shake even without a move being used. Confusion rang out through the area, and even the Kings looked concerned. Then the first rock fell. A massive slab of granite snapped and toppled from the ceiling, landing not far away from where they were. The Kings yelped, retreating. They glared fiercely, but before they could try to retaliate, another rock fell. And then another and another until it was clear the cave was starting to collapse.

"'Cas! What's the plan!?" Leon shouted, concerned as smaller rocks and dust began to fall on them.

"Everyone gather close and get protect or any guard you have up! We have to hold it for as long as possible! Hurry!"

The trainers wasted no time coming close, as did their Pokémon, all of which that knew a protective move threw up a barrier of some kind. Zamazenta followed in suit, a glowing light encompassing the huddled group, which withstood the most massive chunks of rock that had begun to fall. Beyond the barrier, the enemy trainers began to panic and run, though not always in time. Some followed their lead and raised barriers, risking burial over being crushed right away. Through the chaos, Cassandra saw the Kings fleeing, calling back their Braviaries to rush to the exit. A boulder crashed down into her line of sight, and she lost them.

They were completely covered soon enough, buried beneath the heavy stones and dirt and sand from on high. The groaning and quakes and shaking went on forever, and she could tell the Pokémon were strained. It was taking everything they had to keep their shields up, and Zamazenta was carrying the brunt. He was strong, though, and soon the world quieted beyond the sounds of their Pokémon's struggle and muted clicks and clacks of rock debris

Bea coughed, some dust inevitably getting in, "N-now what? We're buried alive!"

"We Hyper Beam out, and if Zacian can use her blade, that, too. Keep shields up in case it's not stable enough," she coughed back.

"You heard her—let's give it another go," the ex-champion nodded, and, once more, those that knew the powerful move let loose, this time focusing towards the roof of their shields, keeping to one spot. The intrinsic ability to attack from inside going out worked in their favor, the beams passing through without strain on those working shields. The rocks above were blasted away, creating a hole. I wasn't the biggest one, but sunlight shot through.

 _My turn_ , Zacian growled, and, with a bark from her brother, she leaped upon his back to shoot up at the roof. With a powerful swing, she slashed the blade into the rocks, bursting them apart. The debris went flying, and the rocks that had settled on the side toppled down. Sunlight hit them in full this time, blinding them, but it was a relief. Shields dropped, and Pokémon slumped from the exertion.

"Holy shit, that _worked_. You're crazy! You're Arceus-forsaken crazy!" Bea laughed, hysterically, in relief, falling to her rear on a nearby boulder.

"That was brilliant—but don't ever do it again!" Leon chuckled, embracing her quickly before moving to Hop, who was a little better. "We need to get you to a hospital."

Cassandra nodded, "Hurry and take him with Charizard. Gloria, you, too, if you're hurt."

The girl shook her head, "They didn't hurt me, I'll be fine the normal way. Hurry and get Hop taken care of. Just let me know where so I can meet up with you."

"Will do, come on guys," the former champion beckoned, returning all but Charizard. The lizard whined at the sight of the younger brother, and so was eager to take off once Leon was settled with his brother on his back. They flew off quickly, leaving the three other trainers.

"Arcanine can probably carry all of us," the redhead mused, but was surprised when Zacian approached.

_You may ride me._

"You're... sure?"

_Yes. You are my Chosen I am at your disposal. Send the other two with your Arcanine._

"Okay, uh, Bea, Gloria, Arcanine will take you, just hold on tight," she explained, returning all but their two "rides". Loading up was simple enough, Gloria holding onto Arcanine's mane while the Gym Leader wrapped her arms around the Champion. She noted the younger trainer watched her as she mounted Zacian, climbing up onto her back and grasping hold of the looser fur on her neck.

"Ready?" she asked, and the other two nodded.

 _Hold on tight_ , Zacian smirked, and she sped off a lot faster than expected.

\-------------------

**TMWolf:** I always forget Zacian is like 14 ft tall lmao 

But hey Gloria and Hop are safe! :D We get to catch up with them next chapter :'> Also, I had fun playing with Pokemon abilities for this chap lol


	15. Reprieve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small break as the calm before the storm settles in and we get some bonding time :) Sooo cue a cute chapter! Leon gets to properly introduce his gf to the kiddos! :D

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**\------------------------**

Cassandra sighed as she watched her Pokémon lounging in the courtyard, mulling over the previous days' events. It had happened so fast that it wasn't until after they met Leon at the hospital and Hop fully regained his senses that she could really take it all in. Even then, it took a long night's sleep to be fully rested enough to understand any of it—namely that they really could have died back there, and not just from the Kings attacking them.

Her plan had been, as Bea said: crazy. If _anything_ hadn't worked how it had, they'd all be dead, buried under rubble like some of the goons had been. Her gut still clenched at the thought of so much blood on her hands, even if they would have gladly hurt or even killed them, too. And if that wasn't enough to make her feel sick at times, it had been a damned miracle everything went right, and she hated herself for putting her Pokémon through that. They'd endured some harsh battles, but that cave-in had been rough. They were out like lights last night and ate at least two bowls of food using so much energy. Zacian had been much the same—Zamazenta was with Leon at the hospital—only, she still seemed a bit subdued. Cassandra worried, even as the warrior lay comfortably in the sunlight.

She didn't have her armor on at the moment, the power of the sword dormant. She was much smaller, it seemed, and the redhead properly noticed her missing ear then. Scars ran across the Pokémon's body, turning blue fur white. She had no doubt seen many battles, being such a warrior. 

Cassandra felt bad putting her through their ordeal. She deserved a nicer life than this.

_I am a warrior, Chosen, in every fiber of my being. To not fight is to not live,_ her voice suddenly breached the redhead's mind, causing her to jump. Hot embarrassment came over her, and when she looked she saw the warrior was staring at her, awake now. She chuckled, _We are bonded. I know what it is in your heart._

"Then you know why I'm worried—you were hurting back there," she sighed, coming over to sit beside her. Zacian rumbled, lowering her head to her light colored paws.

_The battle with_ _Eternatus_ _is not an easy one. We would not be who we are if it was._

"That's no excuse. That energy is bad for you. It's hurting you."

_Just as any blow hurts your other companions. It is the same, and I shall endure. My brother and I are strong, and you must remember this. You must believe in_ _ **me**_ _and my power. If you do, I will not fail._

Tentatively, she reached over and stoked Zacian's head gently. A pleased rumble came from the warrior's throat as she leaned into it.

"Heh. So, you like to be pet, too, huh?"

_Even a warrior enjoys simple pleasures._

"Uh-huh... behind the ears, too, I bet?" she snickered, moving to just that spot, and watched as her head instinctively pushed into the touch and she rolled ever-so-slightly. She stopped a second later and blinked in surprise. With a snort she rolled back up and huffed of all things.

_Tell_ _Zamazenta_ _**nothing** _ _or I will crush you._

Cassandra smirked, "Secrets safe with me. Now c'mere, and I'll keep it up."

Zacian snorted, as if too good for it, but ultimately brought her head to the redhead's lap, and endured a torturous round of soothing scratching around the head, behind the ears, and along the jaw and snout. It was a strange thing, having the Pokémon enjoying such simple attention, and being a legendary warrior at that. Yet, it was nice. She liked to think it was bringing them closer, but at the very least she was able to give the warrior a small measure of peace. She might live for battle, but even the strongest needed a moment to simply breathe. Zacian seemed to agree, her breathing become lax, and Cassandra had a feeling she'd fallen asleep.

Good, Zacian had earned it.

She just prayed it was enough to subdue whatever Eternatus' energy had done, all the while wondering _why_ the energy hurt them more? What even was Eternatus' energy? The energy of the world? Another world? Or was it corrupted and wild? It could stop Dynamax and Gigantamax, which meant they were similar? Or opposites? Where had Eternatus come from, though, and why did it affect the warriors so much? Just what _was_ it exactly?

Most of all: how could they stop it? And the Kings?

Better yet—where had the two men gone? She knew, without doubt, the they lived. They were too tenacious to die, but they'd not made another move since the day before. They were bound to do something, though, she just didn't know what.

Cassandra sighed, knowing she would never find the answers. All she could do was hope for the best. Luckily distraction came in from a call from her pokégear. The noise woke Zacian, who yawned and stood up to stretch, popping and cracking the kinks in her large, but lithe body.

_"Hey, I'm bringing Hop and Gloria over to Raihan's. We'll be there in a few_."

She smiled, glad to hear Leon sounding much happier, "Sure. Do their Pokémon need food? Raihan brought more this morning. We owe him a lot of money right now, by the way."

_"He'll get over it,"_ Leon chuckled and repeated her question to his brother and his friend.

_"If you don't mind!"_ Gloria's voice echoed, and Hop gave a "thanks" as well.

"Sounds good, just come up to the courtyard then," she chuckled. The call done, she went about gathering more bowls and filling them with food—and fending off her team who had _plenty_ already. They slumped away in disappointment, but it was replaced by curiosity when their guests arrived. Their Pokémon soon appeared with them, and Cassandra was glad for the massive yard that could somehow fit them all. She directed the new arrivals to the food, who did so eagerly. She made note of the teams—Hops, consisting of a Dubwool, Snorlax, Pincurchin, Corviknight, and Cinderace; Gloria had herself Inteleon, Kommo-o, Darmanitan, Rapidash, Heliolisk, and Ninetails. Not bad. She was a champion, after all, and Hop a semi-finalist.

"So, you're Cassandra, huh?" Hop spoke up when he approached her. She hadn't gotten the time to really get a look at him when they first met but the resemblance to his older brother was striking. It was almost like looking at a younger version of Leon, the main difference in their hair, and that the younger brother had a bit better fashion sense. They were also both cheeky, she soon found out as Hop crossed a foot behind the other and set his hands to cup the back of his head while he looked her over. "Yeah, you're alright."

" _Hop_!" Leon snapped, giving him a shove.

"What!? It's my right to judge your girlfriend! I'm your 'lil bro! And she's could be family one day!" he huffed back. Cassandra snickered when his elder brother blushed at the mention of family, something that also made her nervous too, truthfully. She hadn't even _considered_ that yet, and she kind of didn't want to. It was _way_ too soon. They hadn't even gone on their first date! Besides, she didn't even know if things would fade after it was over.

Assuming they made it.

Which they would. They had to. She had to believe in Zacian's power. And her own.

"She has to be if Zacian chose her. No surprise Zamazenta went with your brother," Gloria chuckled, joining them. The redhead wasn't sure if the girl meant it or not. She looked, if she was being honest, disappointed when she glanced over at the legendary. Recalling the teen had been the one to use the sword first, the redhead supposed she would have been upset, too—knowing a special Pokémon had chosen someone else; a stranger. And a foreigner.

Leon snorted, "She's a multi-regional champion, so watch it, kiddo. She can whoop you any time."

" _What?!_ " Hope practically screeched, and suddenly had bright, shining golden eyes aimed her way. "Fight me!"

Cassandra paused, "....Huh?"

"Hop, no. Not right now," the elder brother groaned, pushing his younger brother's face back. "Sorry, he likes to fight anyone he thinks is strong."

"Ah. He's _that_ type. Takes after his brother," she snickered. She looked to Gloria, "By the way, congratulations on being Champion! I saw your fight—it was impressive. It's an amazing feet to obtain, especially at your age. Hope the press isn't being too crazy."

"Uuugh, unfortunately they are," she chuckle-groaned. "But, because I'm not eighteen I'm granted more protections. The League regulations makes it so they can't harass me like they did—and still do—to Leon."

"I made sure of _that_ ," Leon rumbled, folding his arms with a frown. "She didn't need to go through what I did."

"Good. So! Care for some lunch? I'm getting hungry myself, and we have plenty to work with inside. We can swap adventure stories, too," Cassandra grinned, opening her arms in offering.

Hop's face lit up, "Oh, yeah! I wanna hear all about Johto and Kanto! 'Lee told me you're from there!"

"Yep, Johto, to be exact. Come on, I'll tell you all about it inside," she hummed, walking over to Leon to take his hand. He grinned, happy to do so, and kissed her brow before leading the trio inside where they enjoyed a simple, but good lunch together. Stories were swapped, just as was offered, and plenty of laughs were shared. To the redhead, it felt kind of like a family, which was nice. She had gone so long from her own she'd nearly forgotten, and now she wondered why she kept away; why she let herself be blinded so badly by her guilt. She still felt it, of course, but maybe—just maybe, she could finally overcome it.

"So, wait, how'd you two meet exactly?" Hop inquired between bites of his sandwich.

"Well, the guys who took you—the sword one—he tried to make me join them before he kidnapped you guys, but I refused and he attacked me and Charizard, beating us up pretty good. I escaped into the mountains south of Wyndon, but a blizzard knocked us out. Cassandra found us and nursed me n' Charizard back to health."

His brother made a "wow" sound, "Dang. That's impressive. Still surprised you, of all people, managed to get a girlfriend. You've always been kinda dense about it."

" _You're_ one to talk! All you think about is battling, and you're Sonia's assistant now!"

Gloria coughed, "So, 'Cas, what _were_ you doing out there to find him like that?"

"I was researching the wild Pokémon around there. Off the path up there is technically Wild Area, but it's so harsh people don't go exploring and the League warns people not to as well. I definitely don't recommend it if you can't stand the cold or don't have fire Pokémon."

"Well I'm glad _you_ ignored those warnings," Leon chuckled, reaching over to bring her hand to his lips.

"Oh my Arceus, do you _have_ to do that here?" Hop groaned, curling his nose in disgust.

"Didn't you just burn Leon for being dense about romance? Y'know... I'm surprised you don't have a girl yet, Hop. You're almost a man right? Don't you have anyone you like?" the redhead smirked, causing the young man to blush as he glanced to Gloria and then everywhere else way too quick. Gloria's cheeks also turned a little pink. Cassandra couldn't help her smirk

"I just—that is—I don't have time! Yeah! I'm busy with research and helping Pokémon!"

"Uh-huh."

Gloria chuckled, though grew somber in the following silence she broke, "...When do you think _they_ will make their move?"

The table grew quiet again, reality settling in. It was nice they could have moments of reprieve, but the fact of the matter was: the Kings were alive, they were out hiding somewhere, and they were still a grave threat.

"I suspect soon. We'd track them, but Sonia's having trouble finding the signature again. They're doing something or something's going on that makes it blend in with the other Dynamax energies," Leon sighed.

"Poor Eternatus... it can't help what it is. I even had to give it back to the Lab just to contain its energy, but... it's just doing what it was born to do. It... It's just scared—of the outside world and itself. We were so close to finally figuring out a way to release its energy safely... And now they're forcing it! Eternatus is hurting..."

"We'll figure it out, Gloria, promise," Hop spoke softly, touching his friend's hand. She took his to squeeze, which he gladly returned.

"The foreign League will be here soon to help, too, so just hang on. We'll rescue Eternatus and stop them—one way or the other."

"Wait—'foreign League'?" the younger brother inquired, brows scrunched.

She chuckled, "Yes, I called in favors from my hometown Indigo League and also Sinnoh, Unova, and Hoenn. They're sending other Champions or trainers who completed the Gym Challenge along with Team Rescue from Johto and Kanto."

"I've never heard of them," Gloria spoke, eyes wide with curiosity.

"Well, my hometown is pretty far from here. You have to come by plane or boat. It's too far for a Pidgeot—or, I guess I should say Corviknight."

"Oh, wow, I bet it'd be amazing to visit."

"Maybe, but you'll have to lose that title first," Leon smirked, pointing to the young girl's shirt—the sign of a Galarian Champion.

She gasped, " _Never_! I'm holding onto my title way longer than you, 'Lee!"

"Nuh-uh, I'm gonna come steal it next before you know it! Just you wait come next Challenge!" Hop barked, pounding his chest.

"Aren't you a going to be a professor?" Leon mused.

"Who says I can't be Champion, too?" The teen smirked, and a good round of laughter rang out.

The redhead snickered, "Well, best of luck to you. And good luck to _you_ , Gloria, when you become an adult. Going to be a lot more paparazzi then."

"Ugh, so 'Lee told me. I'll manage. Besides, as long as I have my team, I can do anything. I just hope I can come home more than you did, Leon."

The older brother hummed, "Hmm well, you'll have to renew your contract once you become an adult—you could negotiate to be given a certain amount of time off to visit home. I didn't even think about it when I was your age because I got so deep into it... but it's a good idea, and with Chairman Rose gone... Well, things aren't quite as crazy. I can help you with it later, if you want?"

"Thanks, I appreciate it. It really is crazy," the young teen sighed.

"Yeah, I kinda just... was all into it, so it didn't bother me at the time," Leon smiled gently, "But I'll make sure it goes better for you. Just watch out—else I'll come steal my title back."

"Not a chance! Neither you nor Hop will take it from me!"

Cassandra just chuckled, glad to see such a young Champion doing as well as she was. It reminded her of her younger days, just less press. Arceus, she had been so excited to beat Lance when she was just a teenager. It felt so long ago. The second time was even more intense, the Elite Four using stronger Pokémon, and then Hoenn had been even tougher with all knew unfamiliar Pokémon. Sinnoh and Unova had both been harsh trials to overcome, too, though for other reasons, still barely out of her teens then. She was finally a full fledged adult when she came to Galar, and now she felt so much older—and not necessarily wiser.

She wondered what would happen if she went back home or to the regions. Like Unova. Would Reshiram even want to see her? Would they let her compete again? Could she fight Alder right away or would she have to take on the Elite Four once more? And she wondered what became of N—and Zekrom. Did Alder know? He looked like he wanted to say more in their call. At least Ghetis was still in prison, and the remnants of his organization dealt with. Maybe N could rest peacefully knowing that.

She hoped so, anyways.

"'Cas?" Leon called out, touching her hand. She blinked, realizing she'd spaced out, and smiled.

"Sorry, just thinking about things."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Maybe later. For now... let's just enjoy having your brother and Gloria back."

"Oh, I am. He's a knuckle head, but he's my bro," Lee chuckled, and raised a brow when he saw his brother staring. "What? You know I love you with all my heart. You're my precious little bro! I was worried sick when you were gone!"

"It's true, he knew you'd run your mouth and get into trouble," the redhead smirked.

Hop blushed, flustered, "I did _not_!"

"Yes, you did," Gloria dead-panned, and the young man folded his arms to grumble to himself.

"I see it runs in the family," Cassandra mused, sending a cheeky look Leon's way, who only grinned and shrugged. "I'm just glad you two weren't hurt too badly."

"They needed us in good shape to do what they wanted—in case they couldn't handle Eternatus," the girl sighed, shaking her head. "Hop was also something to use against _me_ , which is why they only drugged him. I still can't believe how we got out of there."

" _Please_ don't tell your parents by the way!" the redhead spoke quickly, bringing a finger to her lips. "I don't need angry phone calls! Especially when I haven't even gotten to meet you two's mom yet."

"Oh, yeah, she'd skin us alive if she knew what happened!" the young teen laughed. It was only for a moment, though, and then both brothers simultaneously gasped, eyes wide. He looked to Leon, " _We forgot to call mom_! Oh no, nonononon—."

The elder brother whipped out his phone, "I'm so sorry ladies, we have to go take a call before we really are skinned alive! C'mon, Hop!"

"Uh, wow," the redhead hummed.

Gloria chuckled, "Their mom can be terrifying when it comes to worrying about them. My Mom was pretty bad, too, when I called her earlier, but she's just glad I'm safe. I wish I could see her, but I was told I have to wait until things are clear. Thankfully, the League got her into protective custody the minute they knew I was kidnapped. I just can't believe they've kept it all under wraps so far."

"You'd be surprised what news they can wrap up quietly, or at least make it so the public doesn't know the full extent," she mused with a snort and a shrug. Like all the organizations she'd brought down or helped to. There was a reason she wasn't famous.

"Huh.... You really have won all those Championships, haven't you?" the teen asked, eyes a little wide.

"Hmm? Oh, uh, yeah, I did. It's taken a long time, but yeah."

"I can't imagine it. Just beating Leon felt... _impossible_. Until I did it, I mean."

"Oh, trust me; it's been one heck of a ride. There were some matches I thought I was going to lose for sure. There have even been Gym Leaders I didn't beat on the first try too. I nearly lost completely against Hoenn's champion—Steven's Pokemon are _incredibly_ strong and he's a brilliant strategist. Cynthia has some fierce fire power, too, and tricky types. Lance was probably the worst since it was my first time, but, really, they've all been difficult, and I only have so many victories because my team and I have been at it for about a decade now."

"Kinda like how Leon never lost for ten years. I hope I can do it," Gloria sighed, twiddling her thumbs under her table. Cassandra regarded her to a few moments, noting how this felt awfully familiar. Only, she'd been in the teen's spot instead.

"Y'know, the way I see it," she started, leaning back to give a slight smirk, "of all the people and trainers in the world... Eternatus—a legendary Pokemon with insane power—chose _you_ to be its trainer. It's your first legendary, so I wouldn't expect you to really get it yet, but... Legendary Pokemon don't just choose _anyone_ to be with. They're a force all on their own, and if they don't see something of great worth in you, they won't choose you. Ever.

She paused to beam a bright smile, "So don't doubt yourself, alright? You and your team beat Leon fair and square—trust me, he tells me enough—and you _earned_ your title. You've got the stuff to make a Champion who will last just as long, if not longer. And if you need proof, just look to Eternatus, who trusts you just as much as you trust and care for it."

Gloria kept her gaze for a bit before looking away, blushing a little, "How... can you be so sure?"

"Does Eternatus talk to you?" she asked, and the shocked face gave the answer. "Legendaries call it the 'bond'—the connection you and Eternatus share because you trust one another. That bond is proof it's accepted you and sees your worth."

"You have one with Zacian then?"

"Yeah. I'm sure she's listening in now. She talks to me through it, too," she chuckled, regarding the girl again. "Are you... upset, she chose me?"

"Wha—I—no—."

"You can be honest, it's fine. I'd be upset if I was in your place."

She fumbled with her hands again before sighing, "I mean... _yes_. I am. I... Zacian was so amazing and special, and I felt like something was there... but I was wrong. But—but I am happy with Eternatus. They're very sweet, deep down. It's... Eternatus is kind of like a kid sometimes—it asks a lot about the world, but they've been in so much pain, too. I feel so bad for them and I want to help them. The lab was the best I could do and I try to visit as much as I can because they've been scared, but..."

"You did all you could, and they know it. A Pokemon that's alone in the world needs only one thing: a friend that cares. You give it that."

"But now it's in the hands of those monsters!" Gloria hissed, biting her lip.

"And we'll get it back. Promise. We'll all help—Zacian and Zamazenta, too. This time, they'll fight to protect Eternatus as best they can."

She thought she felt a flicker of argument from the Legendary, but then she seemed to understand. The Pokémon's energy might be an antithesis, but it was still a Pokémon that deserved a chance.

"Yeah. Yeah, we will," the teen smiled—sincerely this time, and with confidence. She chuckled, "Thanks, Cassandra. I appreciate it. Don't suppose I could ask you to mentor me, too?"

The redhead laughed, "I mean, I can give you tips, but, truth be told, the Galar Championship is a whole different kind of thing. Leon will be more than enough to teach you. Most I can tell you is to just trust and have faith in your team—they won't let you down no matter what."

"Sorry to interrupt you guys," came Hop's familiar voice, peeking around the hallway corner. He continued when they looked, "but we just got a text from Raihan. He says all available Gym Leaders—and Champions—are supposed to come meet up in front of the Vault. He said to bring you, too, Cassandra."

"Press talk?" the redhead inquired as she stood up with Gloria.

He shrugged, "Yeah. The League can't hide things anymore after the attack on Hammerlocke, so they want everyone who can help ease the public's concerns to come give a talk—especially 'Lee and you, Gloria. You're both Champions, after all. And then any foreign League talk is for you, 'Cas."

"Sure. I... can probably do that," the teen girl hummed, her expression saying the opposite. Cassandra clapped her shoulder warmly.

"Don't worry; you'll be fine. Just be honest without being _too_ honest. The crowd mostly wants to know you're okay and the day will be saved. That's what Lance and Alder always told me, anyways."

"Well, we better hurry up then. 'Lee had to go on ahead and asked me to come get ya. I'll lead the way," Hope motioned, and they followed.

\----------

It was just a short trip down to the main building of the Vault, where a large room set up for meetings for such things. Furniture had been shifted around, though; a long table had been moved up to the front of the room with microphones all along it, and many rows of chairs set in the rest of the room. They were occupied by people wielding all sorts of recorders, microphones, and in the back to the side were cameras. At the very end was a TV screen showing exactly what was going on. Cassandra hated things like this, and Galar was ten times worse than other regions.

Hop brought them through a door that took them to where the table was just ahead while they were hidden off to the side by a wall. It was a stage, she realized, and Leon, Bea, Nessa, and Sonia were already seated. Raihan waved them over, Hop staying behind to use his phone—probably to call back their mom since he wasn't needed for the conference.

"Ready?" Raihan asked quietly, glancing to the crowd of murmuring people and clicking cameras.

"As I'll ever be. I have to get used to these things anyways," Gloria sighed. The Gym Leader just chuckled, giving her hat an affectionate hair rustle. She quickly fixed it, and then, with a glance to the redhead, the dark-skinned man led them out. The young teen was placed to Leon's left, who was in the center, Sonia on his right and Bea and Nessa next to her She noted the others looked more formal, except for her, the ex-Champion, and Gloria. She imagined the press might hold it against them, maybe. She let it slide as she settled beside Raihan, who had taken up his spot next to Gloria. She wished she was next to Leon—she would have liked to take his hand to quell her nerves. There were so many people staring.

"Aright, now that we're all here, we can begin," Leon started, standing up to address the crowd. "I ask that all questions be left for such time they are allotted _after_ we explain the situation. I know you have many of them, and many of you are scared... but I promise we will do our best to make things clear. I also promise we are doing everything we can to solve this issue.

He sat back down, gaze focused, "So. To begin with... as I'm sure all of you have come to realize: Galar is under attack. Those responsible are a pair of men, most likely deranged, who believe themselves to be _Kings_ of Galar. Of all of us. They seek to submit us to their rule, something they believe they are entitled to. Obviously, this is an egregious falsehood. Galar has not had kings for centuries, and we, as Galarians, are far too proud and stubborn to be ruled by _anyone_."

Chuckles and sounds of agreement echoed through the crowd. He was good. Really good. Cassandra decided she probably should take up his offer on the those speech lessons.

"Unfortunately, these men have taken their grand delusion too far. I'm sure many of you recall that I was reported as missing a few weeks ago. This was thanks to these men. They sought me out alone, and attacked me when I refused to help them. I escaped, though badly injured. Thanks to the efforts of Gym Challenger Cassandra," he went on, motioning to the redhead. Her face immediately went hot when their eyes flew to her. Cameras flashed and murmurs rang out as he went on, "I survived the ordeal and returned—only to learn that both my younger brother and our new Champion Gloria had been kidnapped by the very same men. Already they had committed grave sins against our people, but they weren't done there. They made many attempts to use my brother and Gloria against us, but we didn't fall for their ploy. So, instead, they made their move and attacked the lab in Hammerlocke. They stole a precious power source, and used it to make their escape. This was their biggest mistake."

He looked to Sonia, who cleared her throat to gain their attention, "Thanks to their attack we were able to track the power source they stole to their headquarters. As you know, we Galarians don't take such insult lightly, and we were quick to determine the exact location of the base. From there we gathered together a team to go after them. You would all know this event as the den collapse in the Dusty Bowl."

Gasps and conversation sparked and ran like wildfire. Cameras flashed, reporters spoke quickly, and it was just short of chaos. Leon silenced them all with a raised hand.

"Together with the combined forces of myself, Gym Leader Bea, and Gym Challenger Cassandra, we were able to infiltrate their base and rescue both Hop and Gloria, and then destroy their HQ. The men escaped, but they lost a good deal of their forces that we have apprehended and also their resources. As it stands now, we have eyes everywhere looking for them. If they so much as sneeze, we'll know it, and we'll take them down—especially now that we have your Champion back, Galar."

Gloria inhaled sharply as she lifted her head high, "And I promise, people of Galar, that I won't let you down. These men won't get away with what they did! I swear it!"

A round of applause rang out from the crowd, the sound only matched by the cameras and sudden onslaught of questions. Leon raised his hand to quiet them, but they kept on coming. He sighed, though kept a straight face on. Raihan, however, didn't bother to hide his scowl, and slammed his hand down _hard_ on the table—enough so it stopped some of the chatter from the shock.

"Not all at once!" he bellowed, glaring slightly, and many began to quiet. He chuckled, flashing his usual toothy grin. "That's _much_ better. Now it's a proper press party. So let's keep the chill vibes goin', and let's answer all those burning questions y'all have to ask. Let's start with the pretty lady up front. What ch'ya want to know, sweetheart?"

His wink made the woman's cheeks go pink. Cassandra almost snorted. Almost. Instead, she kept quiet as the reporter inquired about what exactly the men were up to. It was a difficult question, in her opinion, but the Leaders and Leon answered it with an almost practiced ease. She vaguely recalled mention of a "story" they have contrived to use, and it was essentially that the two brothers wanted to rule Galar, and not just show some truth. They made sure not to mention the Legendaries or Eternatus, which was smart. The unstable Pokémon was known to the media, and everyone believed Gloria still had the creature under her control. It would create pandemonium if they knew that wild energy was in the hands of the bad guys.

Other questions yearned for more details, such as what happened during Gloria and Hop's imprisonment. The teen answered what she could, though it was halted when Leon realized she was becoming uncomfortable. He made sure to remind the crowd she had only _just_ returned to safety, was only so lucky she hadn't been injured, and was still a teenager. He urged the crowd to grant her such courtesy. Most did, and those that didn't he made sure to shut their question down. Thankfully most reporters moved to technical details that Sonia would answer, but then some strayed to Leon's ordeal, which he chuckled about.

"Well, truth be told, I was half-conscious most of the flight through the snow. All I remember is passing out and then I woke up in a cave with Cassandra and her Pokémon," he explained, and, again, eyes turned towards her. She would have thrown a glare if it weren't live on television.

She cleared her throat instead, "If only to satiate curiosity... I was traveling with my Arcanine doing research work in the mountains when he spotted Charizard's tail flame. We reached them just as they collapsed and brought them back to the cave I was sheltering in to warm him up and keep his Pokémon's tail burning."

"What made you come back with him to help?" a reporter inquired, and she had to pause.

There was a _lot_ to that answer—almost all of which she refused to tell.

"You heard his speech just now—he's _very_ convincing. And, well, I couldn't sit back and watch a wonderful region get taken over by some crazy, delusional wannabe Kings. I've never been the one to sit back and let bad guys get away with doing bad things."

Another spoke up, "Wait, so are you from another region? You have an accent."

"Huh? _Oh_. Yes, I am. I'm originally from Johto, so you'd call me a Johto-jin."

"What brings you so far from home?

"The Gym Challenge, for one, but also a change of scenery. I love traveling and meeting new people, Pokémon, and places. Galar was just one of many on my list, and I've came to love it here."

"Leon!" a third called, and she was relieved when the attention moved away. "Speaking of foreigners... will the other Leagues be getting involved at all? Or is Galar on its own?"

"Ah, well—," he started, not quite sure what to say. Truthfully, the foreign aid was supposed to be unknown to the public. They wanted to get the drop on the brothers, but he also didn't want to make the people think they were totally alone. Sure, their Champions and Leaders were strong, but knowing no one else might come to help would still weigh down on a person's mind.

"We're working on it," Cassandra spoke up instead, glancing to her boyfriend, who looked relieved. Again attention came her way, making her regret it some. She'd made her bed, though, and, really, she was the head on this part anyways.

"Could you elaborate, Ms. Cassandra? Do you have some kind of connection of the other Leagues?"

Well, the people wanted a scoop, so she supposed this could be it.

"Actually, yes. I am an Indigo League Grand Champion along with other multi-regional titles, and as such can serve as an honorary agent of the foreign Leagues when the need arises. As things stand, conversation is in the works, though there's nothing definitive yet. However, I have high hopes that things will go well. Galar can't stand assholes, and neither can the other Leagues. _That_ I assure you."

That, of course, unleashed a new wave of questions all aimed at her, which was exactly what she feared. She couldn't even make out one individual inquiry at this point. She couldn't help thinking how the radio host Mary from back home was a saint compared to these guys. Thankfully, both Leon and Raihan came to her rescue. The former stood up, calling for quiet again.

"Unfortunately, that's all the time we have for questions. There's still a lot of work to be done, and Champion Gloria could use more rest after her ordeal. You can pass along anything else you'd like to ask to the League management, who will either answer you for us or we will get to them at a later time. Thank-you for your faith in us, Galar. We won't let you down. "

"Alright, time to clear out guys. If you would be so kind as to head back out into the main foyer, you can give those questions to our representative. And if any of you _ladies_ have question for _me_ , well, let me just give you my number, alright?" Raihan purred, flipping out League Cards with a digits written on them already. Naturally, a few of the "ladies" made excited sounds.

Cassandra just rolled her eyes and followed with the others to the side area, cut off from the reporters and cameras. She sighed with relief, but then grinned when a pair of arms embraced her from behind quickly.

"You did good—they're going to be talking about you for a while now," Leon chuckled, releasing her so she could turn to face him.

"You say that like it's a good thing."

"Well, in Galar it is. You'll get used to it."

"I'll have to, considering, y'know," she chuckled, and he laughed.

"Yes, for _that_ , too. Anyways, hang on for a bit—Hop's waving, so Mom probably wants to talk to me again. I won't be too long, promise."

"Go on, go on," she snickered and watched him hustle off. She looked to Gloria instead, who appeared more tired, sighing dramatically and slumping her shoulders. She grinned as she came over, "I feel you. You should go back to Raihan's apartment and get some rest. You've earned it."

"I think I will—after I go meet with Mom. The League said I could, and I'd really like to now."

"Then don't let them tell you no. You're the Champion, remember?" she smirked, nudging her.

Gloria grinned and laughed, "Right. I am! Okay! I'll see you later?"

"Yep. For sure. You should say hi to Zacian, too. I bet she'd love to see you again proper."

"Sounds like a plan!" the teen beamed with delight before she, too, headed off. Cassandra watched her go, glad to see her feeling better. Once she vanished from sight, her hazel eyes glanced around again. Leon and Hop were huddled together, speaking to their mother in a video call. Raihan was still out in the crowd, if the loud giggles were anything to go by. Sonia and Bea, meanwhile, chatted to one another not far from her, although that conversation didn't last too long. The ginger seemed pretty haggard, anyways, and did a lazy wave before sauntering off.

Again, she felt bad for the woman, but it was what it was.

"You know, I wasn't sure what to make of you at first, but you're not too bad," a feminine voice cut in, and Cassandra turned to find Nessa behind her, eyes looking her up and down. The redhead had always thought the dark-skinned woman was pretty and that still stood strong, especially in the classy dress she wore. She's heard the Gym Leader worked as a model, too, and was pretty sure she'd seen articles and magazine ads with her in them, but this definitely confirmed it.

The woman hummed, finishing her examination, "I admit I was pissed when Sonia told me how Leon picked you over her, but I might have misjudged. You seem pretty cool and handled yourself well. A little crazy during the rescue, but life's not fun without some."

"Oh. Well, thanks? Are you... Friends with Sonia?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, we're best friends. But I won't hold any grudges about you and Leon. He seems pretty happy around you, more relaxed, too," Nessa replied, flicking her hair back over her shoulder. She regarded the redhead, who wasn't sure how to respond to that. "So you're really a multi-League Champ, huh?"

"Uh, yes? I am," she responded, doing her best to not look confused.

"Tsk. No wonder you trounced me with that Lucario and Boltund."

Cassandra blinked, "You remember our match?"

"Of course! I remember all my losses so I can rematch and show you who's the real winner," the woman huffed, folding her arms and raising her head high.

Ah. That's what was going on. Nessa was _that_ type. Cassandra liked her already. That, and she approved of her and Leon. That was always a bonus.

"Well then bring it on, Gym Leader. I'll make you and your Pokémon eat those words!" she smirked back, folding her arms, too. At first, Nessa balked and glared, but then grinned and moved her hands to her hips.

"Good! I'll be bringing my real A-team so you better not disappoint. Otherwise I may just rescind my judgement of you," the dark-skinned woman declared before turning as if to leave. "I'd love to talk more, but I have a photoshoot to get to for Galarian magazine, so you'll have to tell me all about what happened with Leon and the other regions later. Raihan has been skimpy with the details, the ass Oh, and we need to set a date for a rematch. Here, I'll give you my number so just text me and we'll catch up later."

"Raihan's been blabbing about us, huh?" Cassandra mused dryly, brow raised as the took the League card, which had Nessa striking a pretty pose in a gorgeous dress and red shoes that stood out like a beacon.

The woman laughed, "Oh, yes. Since that picture of you and Leon on Charizard."

"What?!" She rasped, but Nessa just laughed more as she waved goodbye and strutted off, her catwalk perfect. The redhead just groaned, swearing to rip the Hanmerlocke Leader a new one later. For now, she just shook her head and looked around again. Leon and Hop were still busy, leaving just her and Bea in the off stage area. She was on her phone, seemingly reading something. Cassandra recalled their harrowing fight or flight together and realized she hadn't ever checked up on her.

"Hey, how are you doing—after the, uh, den collapse?" she asked Bea as she came over, waving slightly. The Gym Leader gave her a less-than-enthusiastic look that made her pause. The shorter woman sighed with exasperation, waving her hand.

"Tired. Press conferences are draining as much as I enjoy being on camera. Not to mention our rescue mission was insane "

"Yeeah, I'm sorry about that. I just... I didn't think there was any other way out."

"Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm grateful you got us out... but I'm not exactly looking forward to going on anymore adventures with you. That was enough crazy for me, and I don't exactly want to have my Pokémon nearly die again," she replied, her tone cold. Cassandra didn't know what she had expected for an answer, but it wasn't that. Bea sighed, waving her hand, "Look. Thanks for getting us out. I mean it. I just hate seeing my Pokémon shaken up. I'm sure you do, too. Anyways, good luck with your part. Your foreign friends better get here soon though."

The Gym Leader left then, and the redhead could only watch her go. She hating admitting the words hurt because they were partly true. She _had_ almost gotten them all killed, even if it ended up okay. It still stung, though. She'd been coddled by Hop and Gloria's appreciation for being saved, Nessa's friendly approval, Raihan's total support and advice, and Leon's affection. It left her unprepared for reality, which was ironic, she supposed. Even so, she wished she could have been at least friendly with Bea, but the Gym Leader was evidently set on, at most, being cordial.

"Bea give you a talking' to?" Raihan's voice interrupted her somber mood. She glanced his way, and that was enough. He gave her a small, comforting smile, "Don't take it too much to heart. She's curt with her words, and loves nothing more than her Pokémon except fighting with them."

"She's not wrong, though. I almost got us killed trying to save everyone. I... maybe I shouldn't be here..."

"Don't be letting one thing get ya down like that, c'mon, 'Cas."

"I already ruined a childhood friendship."

"Okay, _two_ things—both of which you were doing what you thought was right or felt right I guess. One wasn't your fault, either, and the other you saved people and Pokémon. It's just part of life that you can't make everyone happy, but you got plenty that are, and plenty more friends—myself counting the most, of course."

She snorted, "And _not_ Leon, who is my _boyfriend_?"

"Boyfriend. Not friend. It's different."

"Uh-huh. Well, thanks either way. I'm out of practice with making friends with people, to be honest, so I guess I'm doing okay."

"Could have fooled me. Anyways, I gotta get going so I'll see ya 'round, 'Cas. Enjoy your day," he winked, toothy grin wide as he sauntered off. Cassandra just raised a brow, but he would give no answer.

"Then do me a favor and stop blabbing about me and 'Lee like some tabloid rumor magazine to everyone!" she barked back, but Raihan just laughed like an Impidimp and walked off, waving goodbye as he did so. She shook her head with a laugh as he had, which lasted long enough for Leon to come her way, a curious look on his face.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, just Raihan being Raihan. So, done talking with your mom?" she inquired, reaching over to take his hand. He happily gave it, and brought their entwined fingers up to give her knuckles a kiss.

"Yep. Which means we are now very much so free..."

"...To do what?"

He grinned, "to finally go on our date! But first—we need some more formal attire. We're going out for a nice dinner."

Cassandra couldn't help her burst of her excitement. 

It was time for their date.

_Finally_.

\----------------

**TMWolf:**

FINALLY. THE DATE.

Btw smut next chapter.

Be ready ┬┴┬┴┤ ͜ʖ ͡°) ├┬┴┬┴

Now for some cute pics


	16. Beloved (18+)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff and smut alert for you dirty, thirsty readers. Risque cover for risque chapter too xD

"Do we _really_ need to go to the most expensive place?" Cassandra inquired, glancing around the store as Leon shifted through the formal jackets on the rack. Shirts and pants were all nearby, and on the other side of the building was the feminine wear. Dresses, formal dress tops, shoes, and more. Accessories took up the middle, and everything cost just about more than all the clothes she'd ever bought combined. An exaggeration, of course, but it certainly felt true. Not that she couldn't afford it—being a Champion came with perks, such as a hefty income, and since she was fairly frugal, her bank account was quiet large. When Leon just laughed, she had a feeling his pockets were even deeper.

"It has the best formal attire around, so, yes," he smirked and pulled out a red jacket that he soon matched to a white top. He held it up against his chest, brow raised. "So, how about this?"

"Red? Really?" she mused, brow raised right back. He just grinned, and she chuckled with a shake of her head. "Alright, alright, yes, red is your color. And I guess it does match with my hair."

"See? It's perfect. I'll even get tan pants to go with it."

She had to pause, "So... you're going to basically dress how you did when we first met. Only, with more fashion sense this time."

"Wha—hey! My outfit was _fantastic_. But, yes. I am, and you love me for it," he purred, his smirk all too mischievous.

"Uuuugh, I do. I really do," she snickered, and then waved her hand. "Alright, let me see what looks good in the ladies' section. Meet you at the changing room?"

"Make sure to give me a little show," Leon winked before sauntering off to the changing rooms at the back. Cassandra just laughed, shaking her head. Honestly, he was such a goofball, but she loved it—a lot. He never failed to make her laugh, and any moment with him was a happy ones, even when the mood might not be the brightest. Was this what being in love was then? If it was, she hoped it never faded.

At least for today, though, the feeling was going to keep very, very strong, and she wanted to make sure Leon had a sight to behold. It was a bit of a weird thought to have, wanting to dress in such a way he wouldn't take her eyes off her. She'd never truly dressed to impress before. At Champion or charity galas she'd only felt awkward and out of place. Yet, here, she actively went through the dresses and fancy shirts, trying to decide what would best make his eyes pop out of his head, and just maybe give him a boner. She couldn't help chuckling at the thought—and at herself for hoping to turn her boyfriend on. That was normal, though, right? After all, girlfriends and their boyfriends had sex. Eventually. They were bound to get there, right? Was it so wrong that she was excited by the thought?

_'Arceus, 'Cas, you're a grown-ass adult. You've watched a porno before. You're a virgin, yes, but you're no innocent girl,'_ she chastised as she flipped through sone hanging shirts. She paused on a navy blue V-neck, that was almost dangerously low, and sleeves that went to her wrist. Oh, yes, that was _lovely_ , and there were form fitting dress pants to match. Good.

Cassandra grinned as she ventured to the changing room—just in time for Leon to come out, buttoning up his suit jacket. She had to pause, ogling him quite obviously. It fit snugly, showing off his wide shoulders and slim, muscular waist. The pants were form-fitting, too, and he just looked the epitome of handsome. His grin betrayed the gentleman appeal, though, her boyfriend having noticed her admiration.

"Knew you'd like it."

"Shut-up," she chuckled, cheeks warming some. "Your turn next. Get ready to feast your eyes."

"Oh, I intend to feast alright," he smirked with a wink. Her cheeks went bright red, though she was grinning like a fool. He really was such a dork, and it made her all the more excited to slip out of her casual sweats and into the form-fitting top.

She didn't have the most voluptuous chest, and she had to take off her bra to keep the straps from showing so they definitely weren't that perky looking. Her frown appeared without her meaning it to when she couldn't help noticing her scars. She had one on her shoulder from an incident with her Gabite when he had a tantrum, and then there were a few tiny ones her legs from a bad hiking experience. And, of course, she had the newest scar on her side from Swordward; a lovely, about quarter-inch wide line running along her hip to her belly button. In some ways, she was proud of it, having overcome the ordeal, but right now she felt out of sorts. Normal women didn't have such scars, so what would Leon think? Would he be put off by them? Wouldn't most men?

"'Cas, I'm waaaiting," she heard him sing, and had to chuckle. Surely, she was just nervous, so the redhead slipped on the pants to go with the top and did her best catwalk out, which really wasn't that great. Leon didn't mind, though, he was too busy staring, eyes wide and grin reaching all the way to his ears. He whistled, "And here I thought you looked great in the sweats."

"Oh, hush. Flattery will only get you everywhere," she chuckled. Her doubts still trickled at the edges, but she kept them at bay with the look of adoration he sent her way. She was just being silly. Right?

Leon stood, adjusting his jacket, "Well, I think we have our outfits. We can stop by the more casual store for non-formal, if you'd like?"

"We probably should. I do feel bad taking Raihan's stuff," Cassandra mused.

"Yeah, and he keeps joking about how you're wearing _his_ jackets and not mine," the purple-haired man huffed, earning a laugh.

"I mean, we can rectify that pretty easily," she smirked with a wink of her own. He finally blushed himself, though only a little. That was enough for her, though, and she returned to her dressing room to change and meet him at the register. The woman there was starry-eyed as Leon handed over his credit card, though her expression faltered when she realized he was paying for _both_ of them. Cassandra tried to protest, but he refused, and now the woman was giving them weird looks. The redhead had an idea, but didn't dare assume—not yet anyways.

Once outside, she pouted, "You didn't need to buy it. I could've paid."

"Oh, I know," Leon purred, turning to face her and use his free hand to tip her chin up. "But I _wanted_ to. You're my girlfriend, and I want to spoil you thoroughly."

"I think saving my life a few times counts for more than enough spoiling," she mused with a wry smile.

"Not the same, now shut-up and let me pamper you, huh?" he laughed, leaning in to give her kiss. She, of course, was all too happy to receive it, relishing in the feel of his lips on hers. They hadn't been able to since before the meeting with the Gym Leaders, everything having been so hectic, and she'd almost forgotten how much she liked it; the fast beat of her heart; the butterflies in her belly; and the tightening of her lower abdomen in anticipation.

A gasp broke their stupor, and they turned their heads to find a wide-eyed young lady, phone out and aimed their way. There was a flash as she let out a distinct and very loud " _Oh my Arceus!"._ More heads turned their way, and suddenly they were the center of attention. The good feelings from before were replaced with unease as far too many phones' shutters clicked and questions were thrown their way.

"Aren't you the foreign lady from the press meeting?!"

"Didn't you save Leon's life?"

"Are you two dating!?"

"We saw you kiss!"

"Did he buy you that stuff?"

"Leon, is she your girlfriend!?"

"How long have you been going out!?"

"Okay, guys, chill, please!" Leon laughed, holding up his hands. Beside him, Cassandra's faced burned bright red with embarrassment. When his arms fells back to his side, her hand found his and held it tight—not so much as an answer to the crowd, but for her own sanity. He, of course, returned her hold as he addressed their audience. "To answer your question: yes, we _are_ dating."

"Was it love at first sight?"

"Is it because she saved you?"

"What does your brother think?"

"Do you only like foreign girls?"

The questions seemed endless, and while there was an overall excitement and cheer, Cassandra didn't miss some venomous glares sent her way. Leon was known for fan girls as much as Raihan, and she knew she'd just become their #1 enemy, which, really, was hilarious. What chance did they even think they had? They didn't know Leon—not like she did. They didn't know about his fears and concerns, or laughed with him about the silliest things. They didn't know how hard he _really_ tried to help everyone, and they definitely didn't know how sweet and kind he could really be. So, how dare they glare at her! Leon was _her_ boyfriend, she loved him, and they could kiss her ass.

It was about then Cassandra figured out anger was a good way to ease anxiety.

"I don't know about love at first sight, but she definitely caught my eye since the beginning, and, well, here we are," Leon chuckled, bringing their entwined hands up to kiss her knuckles. It broke her stupor, and she couldn't help her stupid smile as excited squeals rang out from some parts of the crowd.

"And I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," she replied, kissing his knuckles in kind. Again, excited sounds came from the crowd. "I also have _no_ intention of letting him go any time soon. That face of his is too cute."

"So are you two on a date then?" one fan asked, to which Leon gave an excited and affirmative "yes".

"Aren't you still worried about those bad guys—the Kings?" another piped up. Leon's expression grew somber, hand still clasped with hers. He regarded the crowd for a moment before letting out a short sigh.

"Of course I am. I may be on a date with the woman I love, but that doesn't mean I'm not worried about my people—about all of _you_. But we can't let ourselves be overcome by worry every waking moment. We have to make time to relax and savor the precious moments we have in our lives. And right now, I'm savoring it with Cassandra," he smiled gently, looking to the redhead. Her heart raced, swelling in her chest. Arceus, she really did love this man. How could he be so perfect? It wasn't fair.

"You think we can really stop the bad guys?"

Cassandra grinned, "You're damn right we can. You've got all of the strongest trainers in Galar fighting for you, and a Johto-jin, too. You might not know it yet, but we hate bad guys just as much as y'all. So you can bet once we bring in the other Leagues those assholes won't stand a chance."

Judging by the relieved looks, their words seemed to do the trick. It did little to ebb the questions, though, and they were all too eager to ask what their plans for their date were. Then someone shouted how Raihan had posted a picture on pokegram about them. Cassandra just sighed—of _course_ he would. Well, the Purrloin was fully out of the bag, so she supposed she'd just have to get used to it. Galar was about to have a field day with her and Leon, after all.

"As much as I'd _love_ to keep answering questions... we really do need to get going. On a date and all?" he chuckled, and tugged the redhead's hand to urge her to follow. Disappointed sounds came from the crowd, along with one final shout.

"Let's get a kiss for the camera!" someone called out, and through the throng a man emerged with a camera that marked him as a reporter. "All if Galar's going to love seeing this!"

"You mind?" Leon inquired, eyes on her. She glanced to the reporter and the crowd, and sighed. Getting used to it was going to be hard, but she knew it was bound to happen, what with dating the former Champion and all. So she just grinned and nodded. Her lover grinned right back, and used his free hand to cup the side of her face while hers braced against his chest. His other arm came around to cup the small of her back, tilting her backwards slightly, and kissed her deeply, earning rowdy calls, and plenty of cameras flashes and clicks.

Galar was going to have the biggest field day ever, that was for sure.

"Alright, I think that's enough fan service. We have a date to actually get to!" the redhead laughed, although her face still very much-so matched her hair. Leon couldn't have agreed more, and thankfully the crowd finally let them leave, seemingly satisfied with the newest gossip to talk about: their former Champion in love! With a foreign Champion! The story practically wrote itself.

"Remind me to get after Raihan, by the way," the purple-haired man mused as they headed for the less posh shopping area.

She snorted, "Only if there's anything left when I slap him silly. He could have at least _waited_ until after the news posted about it."

"I guess at least it was the hand holding pic," he hummed, flipping through his phone to find the exact post.

"If he posts the one of my straddling you on Charizard, I _swear_ —."

"Oh, don't worry. That one is _just_ for me," he snickered and paused to give her another kiss. "Now, how about we just focus on you and me, yeah? 'Cause we have more shopping to do and dinner to eat later."

"Well, if you _insist_ ," she giggled back, and let him lead her on to what turned out to be one of the best days of her life—and best date. 

It helped she actually had real feelings for her date, as he did for her, and boy did it make a difference. All the guys before had felt empty and like going through the motions. With Leon, though? Every kiss was full of passion instead of awkwardness, and holding hands felt natural as opposed to strange. Her cheeks rarely were never _not_ blushing, and she felt as giddy as could be as they ventured from store to store, checking out the wares, and fighting over who would pay for what. Of course, laughs and teases were strewn throughout, and all the while she was certain of one thing: Leon loved her, and he wanted to do everything possible to make her happy in any way, and he did it in expectation for nothing except her smile.

_That_ was something she'd never experienced before, and the thought made her heart soar. This was certainly what love felt like, and she never wanted to lose it. 

In the end, she was finally able to buy him things, too—like a new hat to go with the hundred others, but he assured the one _she_ bought was his favorite now. Other than that, though, he tried hard to not let her spoil him, although he did end up with new treats for his Pokemon and himself, along with some new jackets so he wouldn't need to go back to his awful fashion sense. Naturally, he pretended to be offended, but only laughed it off. After all, she was going to be the one wearing them in the end so it was better she liked the look, too. By then it was dinner, so they made a point to finally end their shopping spree and returned back to the Vault apartments to drop their things off and change. Hop and Gloria were still gone, as were Raihan and Sonia, so they left at their own leisure, arm in arm. 

Once again, they received a decent amount of attention, what with the Champion looking quite dapper in his red jacket and tan pants, and a "lovely lady" on his arm, red hair flowing and both shirt and pants hugging her body. It wasn't nearly as bad as before, and she had to admit the cheers were kind of amusing—and nice. Sometimes dating a Champion with fans had some perks that weren't all bad, especially when it got them some special treatment at the restaurant. Their servant had been exceedingly attentive and definitely starry-eyed as he served them, perhaps coming over a little too much for Cassandra's taste. She let a selfie with Leon slide, but that was about her limit for the mass media onslaught. Thankfully, Leon also had his fill, all-too eager to slip away from the ogling dining guests to stroll the now emptied streets, the hour late. 

They walked hand in hand, chuckling over the whole dinner scenario, managing to find humor in the crazy of it all. It was nice to finally be just themselves, though; able to enjoy the cool breeze, and cloudless night sky with the moon shining brightly on high with the stars. It was singlehandedly the most romantic walk she'd been on, and whenever she looked up at Leon she couldn't help blushing a little with a laugh and looking away. 

The young man, of course, was no better, although he stole far more glances at Cassandra, taking all of her in as much as he could. She was, without doubt, the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen, and he felt like the luckiest man to have her by his side--especially after enduring the media. He was accustomed to it while she wasn't, but he was proud of how well she'd managed. It helped ease his own worries, and made him love her that much more. She was just always so strong and capable, and the way she would glance his way and blush? It made his heart flutter and his chest swell with happiness. No one had told him being in love would feel so good, but he supposed that made the surprise that much better.

"So, how was that for a date?" he inquired with a cheeky grin.

Cassandra hummed, "If I were to describe it... I'd say it was a _champion time_."

He bellowed with laughter, "Good! That's what I was hoping for. And just so you know, it's the best date _I've_ ever been on."

"It's the _only_ date you've been on," she snickered, to which he only shrugged impishly. She hummed again, rubbing her chin thoughtfully, "I guess we'll have to go on some more to really test it out."

"Oh? Well, I think that's something I can get behind."

"Good, because we're _definitely_ doing this again. Although, maybe less cameras and nosy fans?"

He laughed sheepishly, "Yeeeah, did I say I was sorry about that? Because I am. And sorry because it's definitely going to happen again."

"Don't worry, I know. And I'm okay with it—so long as we manage to take dates where they _don't_ get involved. I don't like sharing."

"Oooooooh?" he purred, releasing her hand to grab her hip, pulling her close. 

"Pfft don't act like you're not the same. You want me aaaaaalll to yourself, too," she huffed, smacking his stomach lightly.

"You're damn right I do," Leon laughed, grabbing her chin to tilt it up for a kiss. "Which is whyyyyyy I may have gotten Raihan to do me a favor."

She raised a brow as she turned to face him proper, "What _kind_ of favor?"

"The kind where he gives us one of the apartments next door," the young man smirked, flipping out a key card from his pocket. "I figured it'd be good for us to have our own place to ourselves, especially now that Hop and Gloria are back."

She raised a brow, grin mischievous, "You really planned this night out, huh? Sounds like you were expecting something... _more_ tonight, hmm?"

"Well, if that's—wait, what—no!" he exclaimed, flustered and face turning red. He stumbled on his words as she kept her look up, but then started to laugh. He realized she'd gotten a good jab at him and groaned. "Okay, _no_ , I didn't ask to move _just_ for, uh, something like _that_.

He coughed, recovering, "I just thought it'd be a good idea since it's already been weird with Raihan there, too, and I know you don't like him sneaking pictures, and, well, with Sonia..."

"It's a good idea, don't worry," she chuckled, bringing up a finger to his lips to hush him. "I'm sure Raihan was getting tired of his pad being used as a love nest he wasn't part of, even if all we did was actually sleep when sleeping together."

"Ha! I'm sure he'd be outside the door cheering me on if we did anything else."

"Let me guess: next you'll tell me he asked to join in the fun, too?" she snorted, rolling her eyes with a grin.

Leon stumbled, "I—Arceus, I hope not! Although, I, uh... I don't know if I could put that past him."

"Wait— _what_!?"

"He joked about it anyways," the young man winced, sheepishly rubbing his neck. She sent a "continue" look. He chuckled, "Uh, it was something like 'if you need help from someone with experience, just give me a call'. I, uh, may have asked him for tips at some pointers? Not just for sex, though! I mean, uh—."

"Oh my Arceus," Cassandra snorted, half-choking on a laugh. "I guess we better lock the door here, too!"

"He's _just_ kidding! He likes to get under my skin because he knows you're my first actual girlfriend," Leon chuckled awkwardly.

"I have a feeling he'd offer a threesome even if I was your hundredth conquest—as a joke," she snickered, then glanced to the key card he still held. "So, back to the apartment then? It is probably time we headed back."

"Only if you're ready."

"To have sex?" she purred, lip curled upwards.

He flushed, "No—I meant—I was... dammit, woman, why do you have to tease me like that?"

"Because you _love_ it. Now, come on, let's go check it out, and, y'know, not to just have sex," she mused, sticking out her tongue. She was going to be the death of him, that Leon was sure, but, frankly, he wouldn't mind. Her wit was part of the charm he adored—and that made him all the more attracted to her. He was only a little embarrassed to admit he was turned on right now, her playfulness and talk of sex becoming a very _prominent_ concept in his mind. He pushed it back as much as he could, though; he hadn't done all this expecting any such reward. This was a night for _them_ , as a couple. As boyfriend and girlfriend. He just wanted her to be happy when she hadn't been for so long. 

"Alright, we're here at this one," Leon spoke as they ventured up the stairs to the Vault's apartment level. He motioned to the town home to the right of Raihan's, which was off by itself. It had a similar exterior design, but the inside, as they found out, was definitely smaller and less lavish. The layout wasn't too different, except that there was only two other doors, one to a bathroom, the other a bedroom. A small suite but suited to their needs. She slipped in and helped remove his jacket, setting it on the coat rack available. She walked through, noting the architecture and style were the same, and came to lean against the couch, rump on the top. Leon waltzed right on over, pushing between her legs and setting his hands on her hips. "So. To your liking?"

"It should do... for _more_ ," she smirked teasingly, earning another groan.

"'Cas, that's _not_ what I—," he started, but she cut him off with a sudden kiss, arms snaking around his shoulders. His fingers tightened in surprise, and then relaxed some as he returned it, heart pounding and groin tightening. Hers was much the same, and she was intensely aware of the ache forming in her lower half.

"How's that?" she purred, playing with his hair.

His voice lowered, husky now, "It's a start. I think I deserve a little more, though."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Like, this," he rumbled, kissing her again, a bit deeper this time. Desire reared its eager head and his earlier resolve faltered. Arceus could strike him down later for it—right now he wanted to indulge, even just a little. "And maybe a bit of this. And this. And this, too."

His words were followed by another kiss, and then another, the third moving to her jawline and then down to her exposed nape. Her breath hitched, and his fingers tightened in his excitement. The desire boiled between them; attraction stronger than ever. He paused after another kiss on her neck, though, which felt like a bucket of water on a fire, and looked her in the eyes, golden irises bright even in the dim light.

"I meant it when I said I wasn't expecting more."

She rolled her eyes with a laugh, "Leon, I _know_. I wouldn't have come inside and kissed you if I didn't. I... I want to do this."

"You sure?" he asked, and she nodded. 

"I am. I'm just... a little nervous," she replied with flushed cheeks, gaze wandering for a moment. She swore he took in a sharp, soft breath. 

He pressed a little closer, "I, uh... Me, too. I admit, this is my... first, um, time."

"Same. I've asked about it, though, and, um, I was told you just... go with the flow? Foreplay is important, though, but I can help with that," she chuckled. "I'll show you how I like it."

He quirked a brow, "Show me?"

"Hey, a girl has needs and when it's just her..." she grinned with a shrug. Heat rushed to his cheeks while blood sprinted to his groin. Arceus take him now, this was becoming unbearable. Every fiber of his being wanted to ravage her, even if he had no experience in doing so. He was damn well going to do his best, though. Golden irises found hers, and the sultry look she sent his way was all the clearance he needed to get rid of the last of his inhibitions. 

"Well, guess I better show you a different kind of champion time then," he growled, and, with surprising ease, he moved his hands a bit more to her rump and lifted her from the couch. She gasped, then laughed with delight, face burying into his neck. His strength only added to the arousal, and by the time he laid her down on the bed she was eager for more—much more. He was all too happy to give it.

He kissed her hard, crotch pressing against her as his hands began to roam. He didn't truthfully know what he was doing, but his body seemed to understand. Vaguely, he recalled Raihan's advice, though it wasn't entirely clear. He knew she liked the work he'd done on her neck, so he trailed kisses there again, eliciting that same excited sound from before. Again, he felt his groin tighten. Was he even going to make it? It was hard to say, but he really wanted their clothes gone, so he took it upon himself to lean up and remove his shirt. Cassandra's eyes went wide, chest rising a little faster. Of course, he smirked. 

"Guess you still like what you see, huh?" he purred, looming over her, brushing his lips across her cheek. 

"Y-yeah, I do," she managed to reply, face burning, and belly again tightening with anticipation. "I should probably make it even, though. It not fair if it's just one of us."

Bold words, which were a bit harder to keep. She sat up and began to pull up the blue material, but paused as she recalled her scars. Would Leon really like them? Or be okay with them? Sure, he'd been intrigued before, but that was different. This time he'd be seeing them on her as a woman, not just a friend who was hurt. Surely he wouldn't find it attractive?

"'Cas? Are you... having a second thoughts? I can stop—," Leon spoke suddenly, his gaze falling a little, as if in shame. He started to pull away. Cassandra silently cursed and grabbed his wrist, though she couldn't meet his gaze quite yet.

"No—it's not that. I just... I have all those... scars," she mumbled, face red from embarrassment now. She glanced at her boyfriend, expecting him to look unhappy about the truth, but was surprised when she saw only gentleness there. She blinked, dumbfounded, and watched as he entwined their fingers and kissed her instead of pulling away.

"Scars that I think are pretty bad ass. You know I don't love you just for your beautiful face, right?" he chuckled, kissing her again with each sentence. "I like your wit, too. And bravery. Strength. Beauty."

"You said that one already," she giggled.

"Because it's double true. So don't worry; no scar is going to make me love you any less. But if you're not ready—."

Cassandra didn't let him finish as she pulled the shirt completely off, leaving her torso in just a bra. That, too, was soon discarded, leaving her bare to him. The words caught in his throat, eyes widening at the sight. Despite her bold move, shyness had suddenly overcome her, eyes downcast and face bright red, and he couldn't stop his groan. Arceus, help him, she was gorgeous. He used a hand to bring her face back towards him so he could kiss her harder than before and pushed her back down to the sheets. His hands roamed, exploring the soft skin of her sides, venturing up to her breast. He'd never felt them before, and now he didn't particularly want to stop—especially when she let out soft moans from the attention. 

"Think we can... get to the lessons," she spoke up, making him pause again. She undid the button on her pants and motioned. "Help a girl out?"

He growled softly, "With pleasure."

They slipped off with ease, and again he had to stare. Before had been briefs, but now she wore bikini-style panties that left little to the imagination and yet his still soared to all kinds of places. He'd never felt such desires, before, and the bulge of his pants only got worse. 

"Lesson number one?" he rumbled, hands tracing along her thigh to her rump as he crawled back over. Her breathing was a little faster, and he couldn't stop his excitement from growing—like a predator hunting prey. 

"It's called the clitoris and how to find it," she chuckled, taking his hand with hers. He was only a little surprised when she let it venture beneath her underwear, and his own breathing grew faster as he discovered what Raihan had called "the forbidden fruit". Cassandra helped lead his hand to a particular spot, and at her instruction, began to rub. Slowly, at first, and he saw her stiffen some, biting her lip. His bulge got that much more uncomfortable behind his zipper, especially when she beckoned him to go faster. Then she began to moan softly, fingers tightening on his arm and the sheets, and her body lifted as the pleasure took hold. It took everything he had not to rip off his pants. Foreplay was important, she'd said, and he wanted to make this perfect. 

"That—that was good," she groaned, grip relaxing as the wave of euphoria passed. When he pulled his hand free, he noted the tips of his fingers were wet. 

"Don't hate me, but I really want to fuck you right now," he chuckled, surprising himself, yet too engulfed by carnal desire to be worried over crassness.

"Then I _suggest_ you get those pants off and finish stripping me," she purred, and she was pretty sure no man had ever undressed so fast. She held her breath at the sight of him, never having see a cock in person, and especially not before about to have it in her. She was both nervous and eager at the same time, but she was certainly ready for it. Leon was, too, his eyes ravenous as he found a condom to slip on before returning to her. He kissed her hungrily while his hands traced from her back to her ass—he squeezed one cheek—and then her thigh, hiking it over his waist. 

"Raihan said it can be... uncomfortable at first."

She nodded, "Yeah, I was told that, too. I'd say I'm wet enough for it. But go slow just in case "

"Tell me if it hurts, although it's going to be hard to stop. You're fucking beautiful right now."

"Then get to it—you look ready to burst before you even start," she teased, to which he growled and nipped her neck. She gasped, pain somehow turning to pleasure. She could feel him laughing, his chest vibrating.

"I'll have you know... A man has needs to, and when it's just him, well... I think I can last a bit longer than you think. So... here goes," he rumbled, and, aligning himself proper, eased in. She made a sound that made him pause, but she urged him to continue.

"It's just a bit uncomfortable—it's fine," she groaned, and he went on. 

Slowly, at first, letting her grow accustomed, although every fiber of his being wanted to plow hard and fast. The feel of her on his cock was perhaps the greatest feeling of his life, and the sounds she made as the pleasure overcame the discomfort only made it worse. He groaned and rasped between her gasps, thrusting inside her a bit faster now. Cassandra moaned his name, and he almost lost it. He did his best to kiss her or her neck or anything else to make it all the better, but soon there was only the thrust of his hips and the sudden jerk of hers up as she tightened, an orgasm hitting hard. It was a mixture of strangeness and joy, and the sensation was more than enough to bring about his own and he came. 

Their bodies shuddered from the exertion, Leon pulling out and bracing hfis arms beside her She panted lightly, soft moans still escaping her lips. When he looked he could only see the most beautiful creature he'd ever known, and couldn't stop himself from kissing her—gently this time, but with no less affection. She returned it, wrapping her arms around his neck. It was almost enough to get him going again, but for now he was spent. He liked to think he could go again soon, but he opted for plopping down next to her, arm draped across her belly. 

"Not bad for a first time, huh?" he grinned.

She giggled, "Not bad at all... although, it was just the first time. We'll have to do it more to better compare."

"Now _that_ is an idea I can get behind," he purred, leaning over to nuzzle affectionately. She giggled again, much to his delight. He pulled her to him, relishing in the feel of her bare skin against his. It was a lot better than in the cave. Chuckling at the thought, he moved them to the pillows so as to actually get beneath the sheets and not just on top of them. 

Cassandra raised a brow, "Well, well... aren't you just a generous lover."

"Figured we could rest up before our next go. Raihan recommended it, anyways," he smirked, again tugging her against him. She was all too happy to nuzzle his neck.

"He knows what he's talking about. Maybe we _should_ ask for that threesome," she purred, and laughing when Leon growled and tightened his grip on her.

" _Never_. I don't share."

"Good. Neither do I," she laughed, and adjusted to give him a kiss that left him rumbling happily. They settled down then, the aftermath of carnal pleasure leaving their skin tingling, but bodies relaxed in a way they hadn't been for some time.

\------------------

Cassandra woke perhaps a few hours later, tracing the surface of Leon's abdomen, which had become uncovered by the sheets being pulling down in his sleep as he turned. She didn't mind, of course, and had enjoyed getting to feel every inch she'd missed the first time around. Although it hadn't lasted long, it had awakened a side of her she hadn't known properly existed. Already, she yearned for more—and for it to go on much longer. Inexperience had prevented that for them both, of course, but such things would ease in time. She had a feeling it would happen sooner rather than later, though—they were very eager to learn.

Leon's hand found hers as it moved up towards his pectorals, and she could just barely make out his golden irises in the dark. He brought her palm up to kiss as he turned onto his side, facing her proper. He returned her intimate touches with his own, tracing the curve of her shoulder to her hips. It sent a pleasurable shiver down her spine. She noted he was tracing her scars, too, a notion that made her heart beat a little faster. He returned to her shoulder in the end, taking a few locks of hair to bring to his lips to place a kiss there, too.

"You look pleased," she chuckled, fidgeting closer. He helped by grasping her hip and pulling her against him.

He left a peck on her lips, "And content. Are you okay? Anything hurt? Apparently it can after...?"

Cassandra returned his peck with one on the cheek. Leon really was too perfect being so sweet and worried over her.

"There was an ache right after at first but now it's just a little sore. So don't worry, I'm fine, and definitely enjoyed it."

"Good, because I certainly look forward to doing that again."

"Oh, yes. Once is hardly enough, although we do have to get up in the morning."

"That we do," he sighed, rolling back onto his back, arm over his face. She shifted to lie against him, arm over his chest. He, in turn, wrapped his around her. "A part of me doesn't want to. I'd rather stay here—with you. All day. All night. Just forget things. It was so easy to."

"Yeah, it is... which is why we can't—and why we have to do what you said and savor these moments. It almost feels too quick, though, to be honest," she chuckled, and he lifted his head to look down at her.

"Too quick?"

She shrugged, "It's just... it's been maybe a few weeks, and we're already lovers. I ... well, I guess I just didn't think it happened so fast. I mean, I already didn't think us confessing would happen that fast either."

"Raihan says that can happen—sometimes even after a day. Although, I guess he meant casual flings with that one, but... he said it was normal. Some people take forever. Some don't. Guess we're the latter."

"I'm just worrying again. Sorry," she chuckled. Leon frowned, and gently took her chin to make her look at him.

"Don't apologize. I understand what you're saying. It's been a big whirlwind for me, too, but... I don't half ass things. I know how I feel, and I'm going full force with it, so don't ever doubt _me_ , alright? And don't think for a second I won't let you know how I feel or let you think you don't mean everything to me—even after just a few weeks."

"Tsk. Why do you have to be so cheesy and sweet?" she scoffed, almost pouting.

He laughed, using an arm to tuck her close again, "Because it makes you love me more. And I like that a lot. Now c'mere. Gimme kiss?"

"If you _insist_ ," she snickered, leaning forward to do as asked. She made sure it was deep, letting it linger there. Unsurprisingly, his hands didn't—they were all too happy to roam again, tracing her scars a second time. His hand slowed on one in particular; the one on her hip. She watched his expression change, a frown on his face.

"I guess I lied—I don't like this scar," he rumbled, thumb tracing along it. It was still tender sometimes, though he was gentle enough it didn't hurt. She brought her hand to touch his, smiling softly.

"It did bring us closer, you know."

"I know... but I'm still mad about it. That bastard never should have been able to hurt you."

"I let my guard down."

"And I wasn't able to help you at all."

She rolled her eyes, "Except for saving my life."

"You know what I mean, 'Cas. I should have been able to protect you then."

"But that's not how it was, and you can't beat yourself up over it—especially when _I_ don't think less of you for it," she replied, cupping the side of his face. He leaned into it, closing his eyes and kissing her palm.

"I swear, he won't ever hurt you again. I won't let him," he growled, squeezing her side gently.

"I know you won't," she spoke softly, smile gentle as she kissed him proper and with passion. He sat up, bringing her with him. It gave her room to wrap her arms around his neck again, which urged him to tug her closer, straddling him. His hands ran from her back to her front and also down to her rump, massaging it gently. Just as her belly began to tighten, she felt his own groin growing hard. 

She chuckled, "Eager for more, huh?"

"What can I say? I'm a greedy man... and we need to work on getting better, right? I'd rather start sooner," he smirked, and she shared the expression.

"True... and I guess it's time to try a little something new for lesson two," she purred, and he watched with curios eyes as she playfully shoved him down. His lips curved upwards very quickly, fingers tracing along her skin tenderly.

"Lesson two?"

"Yep, and it's my turn to lead. Just don't laugh if I mess up," she grinned, leaning forward to kiss him again.

"Don't worry, you won't. Anything you do gets me excited."

"Good, now shut up and let me show _you_ a champion time."

\--------------------------------------

**TMWolf:** _Aaaaaaye you're welcome guys_

_'Cause uh_

_Shit about to go down_

_The end game is coming._


	17. Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys get ready for an EPIC chapter... and count the cameos :)

**\--------------------------------**

Three more days passed with nothing—not even a trace of the brothers.

It was too much to believe they had died down in the den, especially when Eternatus wasn't there. If the Pokémon had been buried under the rubble, it's unstable energy still would give off a signature of some kind, especially if the ball had been cracked. Yet, there was nothing. It was infuriating to everyone, though in some ways they were glad for it. The crowd was more at ease after the press conference, and had taken up busying themselves over Gloria, their Champion returned, and Cassandra and Leon's relationship now that it was official. A bombardment of both support, hate, and endless questions came their way, which made the redhead glad she didn't have a Pokégram, although many of her newfound friends and fans wished she did. With her boyfriend adding into the mix she was sure she'd have to at some point, but today. Whatever the case, Leon was happy and proud to show her off, and Raihan could finally post his secret shots. It was cute, in a way.

Still, the thought of the brothers weighed heavily on their minds, and the other Leagues still were not in Galar yet. There had been shaky weather on the water, causing some delays, but they would hopefully arrive by evening or tomorrow—she prayed for the former. Until then, though, they had done their best to stay occupied; Raihan working to continue repairs in the ruined Energy Plant in the castle when he wasn't training with them; Gloria spending as much time with Hop and her mother as possible; and she and Leon spending any second they could with one another, which was harder than she thought. League work kept him busy and would leave him tired, but he always made time for her, which they happily spent bonding with their Pokémon—and at night alone together.

Indeed, it had been a blissful three days, and their fourth looked to be going to the same; Leon had the day off, and so they happily spent it in the courtyard of the Vault apartments. Gloria and Hop had joined them, though they were inside, doing whatever it was teens liked to do. The older pair, however, were content to sit out on the bench with all the Pokémon, watching them interact with one another. Cassandra was especially glad to see Zacian and Zamazenta engaging with the others, even playing some. She felt closer to the Pokémon, too, haven't spent many hours over the last few days talking about Galar's past and their many battles. They had much to tell, and _both_ enjoyed a good ear rub.

"So, what do you want to do tonight? We have a lot of free time later," he hummed, holding her sideways in his lap. He had leaned back against the rail behind them so she could lie against him, his arms holding her in place.

"Well, this is pretty nice to be honest. Although I guess we _could_ have some _extra_ fun, too," she hummed playfully.

Leon growled in a husky tone, "Don't you go teasing me like that. I might just not be able to resist."

"Good, all part of my master plan," she smirked back. "Best part? Raihan's not here, so he can't make a post about it."

"It _is_ perfect, isn't it? Maybe I _will_ give in then," he purred, sitting up proper so he could brush his lips past her neck. She shivered but pushed it back with a laugh.

", just hold that thought until tonight, alright? We did promise to have double-team battles with Hop and Gloria after lunch," she chuckled, turning to face him better.

He clicked his tongue, "Damn. We did, didn't we? Fine, fine, I'll be patient. Hop's been dying to fight you, anyways, and our Pokémon could use the extra experience since we haven't properly battled since the den."

"I know, it makes me uneasy," Cassandra sighed, looking to their teams.

A small round of barks and snarls rang out from one group, but it was promptly quieted by Tyranitar, Charizard, and Inteleon. It was a sight to see, the type-range working together to quell things. It was reassuring, too, and she was relieved they all got along. She looked to the legendaries next, wondering what they thought about it. Only, they weren't watching at all. Rather, both warriors looked to the sky, ears twitching back and forth. It was then she realized they were sending an odd feeling over their bond. Before they could even question it aloud, they received an answer.

_Something is wrong._

_The world is amiss_

"Something's up," the redhead rumbled, standing up suddenly. Leon followed her lead, moving towards the two Pokémon. Just as the trainers reached them, though, they were thrown to their knees by a massive quake. Some of their Pokémon collapsed as well, while others stayed upright. Hop and Gloria burst through the patio doors once it was over, shouting a chorus of "What was that", but they didn't need to wait long. Far off in the distance, a beam of light suddenly flared to life. It was well beyond the Wild Area and took the shape of a pillar that shot high to the heavens. A second flared. Then a third. South, East, West, then north. They were popping up all over, including dens. The air crackled with energy, and echoes of Pokémon cries rang in the air. How far away they came from, she couldn't say, but she could believe they came from as far as the southern Wild Area.

"Oh no—that's... that's _Dynamax_ energy," Leon breathed, eyes wide.

"What does that mean?" Gloria rasped.

Hop grimaced, "It... Sonia made me read up on it, but... if that's Dynamax energy then... with that much running wild, all the Pokémon nearby or going to be effected."

"Wait—it's vanishing!" the redhead called out, pointing. Sure enough, the pillar once bright as day suddenly dissipated.

"That's not good," Hop hissed, gritting his teeth. "If the energy is gone, something used it up. The Pokémon are _Dynamaxing_ _._ "

 _The world is being thrown into chaos,_ Zacian barked.

Zamazenta growled, _We must act quickly to remove the energy!_

"We can't let those Pokémon run loose! We have to take them all of them out!" Hop exclaimed and called out to his bird Pokémon while returning the others to their balls. "Leon, we need to go! That first blast looked close enough to be near home!"

Gloria raced to her Rapidash, which she mounted, "I'll head to the Wild Area—my team will handle the strongest ones there!"

"'Cas—" Leon began, reluctance in his expression, so she took his arm.

"Go with Hop, help your town and the other areas. We saw at least four that way, so you guys need to cover a lot of ground. I'll catch up with Raihan and the other Leaders to handle what happened here. Hurry!"

He nodded and called to Charizard. He returned his team, but before he moved to mount his Pokémon, he turned back around, gently grasped Cassandra's face, and kissed her hard.

"Stay safe. And if you find Swordward and Shieldbert don't go after them without me, alright?"

"Same to you. Now, hurry!" she bade, and he slipped onto Charizard's back. No command was needed then; the fire-type lifted off fast, and the large Corviknight was right behind them.

"I'll come back as soon as I can!" Gloria added, and her Rapidash took off from the courtyard, racing to the floor below. Only Cassandra remained to return her team, save Zacian who refused. Instead, she lowered herself, motioning for the redhead to climb on. She did so, and watched as the sword's power activated, forming armor.

"Raihan!" she barked into her phone, having called him up. "What's going on? Do you know? Hop says Pokémon are probably Dynamaxing all around!"

 _"They are! So far only_ _Hammerlocke_ _isn't, but we have Dynamax energy going rampant at every other Gym Stadium! Some of the other Leaders need help if you can spare it?"_

"Of course, which one first?"

_"Go see Gordie! He sent an SOS!"_

"I don't have a flier—"

 _Fear not, my speed will be more than enough,_ Zacian growled, gaze confident when she looked back.

The redhead nodded, "Nevermind. I got a ride. Call me if anything more happens. Alright, let's had out, Zacian!"

With a mighty howl, her Pokémon took a running start and vaulted clean over the courtyard railing to the streets below. People had begun to move towards shelter, but she deftly avoided them and reached the eastern bridge in nearly a blink of an eye. Once they hit open land, she went even faster, leaping great bounds over the slopes and rough terrain so fast that the mild air grew colder in just minutes as they reached the wintery area of Chirchester. Before it had taken Cassandra maybe a half a day on foot, but in not even thirty minutes they were bounded through the snow-coated streets and reaching the gym doors. People raced out from within, but she pressed through, returning Zacian to get through the door.

"Gordie!" she called out, spotting the burly Leader. A look of relief came over him when he saw her.

"Cassandra! Thank Arceus! Pokémon are running wild in Dynamax form inside! I need help taking care of them and protecting the people."

"You can count on us. Let's go."

He nodded, and they raced into danger.

—————-

The battle was hard, but they were victorious. Combining her team with Gordie's, they were able to both protect the civilians and subdue the Dynamaxed Pokémon, which the Gym Leaders then shepherd to safety. Her Pokémon worked hard, but it was Zacian who took the greatest toll. From the get-go the Pokémon seemed uneasy in the heavy, energized air, and the burst of power released upon finishing off a Dynamaxed Pokémon seemed to make her shrink some, but she would recover moments later, and assure her trainer she was fine.

Cassandra could not press, the call for help continuing. Bea and Allister were being overwhelmed, too, and she had to head out. This time, tough, Gordi flagged a taxi and had its Corviknight relieved of duty to fly her quickly to Stow-on-Side on its back. She lamented her own bird couldn't do it, but he had not grown enough yet—perhaps in another year or so. Regardless, they made it in maybe an hour, and found the two Leaders in a similar situation to Gordie.

"Bea!" Cassandra shouted as she hurried in, passing by a group of people scrambling to get away from the Gym. She recognized Allister as the young, masked child beside her, although she had yet to personally meet him. He had his Gengar out while the fighter Gym Leader her Machamp.

"Good, you're here! We have three in our Gym and in the surrounding area. Allister and I know this place better so you stay here at the Gym and we can take care of the rest," the silver-haired woman nodded and looked down to the dark-haired child. She held out her hand, "Ready, kiddo?"

Allister only nodded, taking Bea's hand. The older Gym Leader nodded to the redhead, and then she and her companions took off, leaving Cassandra with her team. She didn't hesitate to enter the Stadium, where a Conkeldurr thrashed about, swinging its metal beam into the pitch. Miraculously, the people were already safe, leaving just her and her opponent, and so, once again, she brought her team out to battle. Like before, Cassandra saw Zacian struggle, and this time, at the end, she was panting more heavily. Her fur seemed slightly frayed, but she boasted she was fine.

Cassandra didn't believe it, but the Pokémon just snapped back. The redhead had to let it go; they needed to keep moving when Raihan called not even a minute after she had stepped out of the Gym Stadium to say Hammerlocke was under attack. Bea and Allister found her just as she recalled the Corviknight she'd ridden before, the flying Pokémon having remained nearby.

"Hammerlock is in trouble, I need to get back. Will you guys be okay?" she asked as she mounted the flier.

Bea nodded, "Yes. We've subdued the Pokémon, and we'll keep guard here in case more Dynamax."

"Please hurry and help Mr. Raihan," Allister spoke softly, head falling shyly.

"Count on it. You guys stay safe, too! We can all celebrate once we stop these guys!" the redhead grinned back and nudged her ride. "Let's go, Corviknight! To Hammerlock!"

The dark-feathered beast shot into the sky with a mighty flap, veering towards the castle-like city in the distance. It wouldn't be a long flight, and all the while she still prayed that everything would be fine—both for Zacian, the city, and for Leon, the two younger trainers, and everyone else. They hadn't called, so she could only believe in their abilities. Still, her stomach twisted with the dread that filled her.

It felt both too soon and too late when she came upon Hammerlocke. As Raihan said, the city was in chaos. Pokémon charged with Dynamax energy were rummaging around, some looking half-transformed, others full on. Raihan's Pokémon were flying and racing about doing their best, but there was too much. Some trainers and emergency crews were fighting back, but Dynamax Pokémon were _strong_ , and they were trying to protect and save people at the same time. It was just all too much, despite their numbers, and already she could see people were hurt badly, and some, she knew deep down, had probably died. Cassandra had the Corviknight bring her as close as it was comfortable doing so, and then bid it return home while she raced to the bridge where Raihan was.

It was there she found their enemy.

—————————

 _Near_ _Postwick_

"Rhyperior, Stone Edge! Charizard, Fire Blast!" Leon bellowed, directing his Pokémon to attack the frenzied Dubwool that was now towering high above them in its Dynamaxed form. It shouldn't have been able to, at least not in the open fields of the countryside village, but he had seen the Pokémon even from a mile away running amok. By some miracle, it had done very little damage to the surrounding homes, and it had been easy to lure it away to the outskirts where no one could get hurt. Hop had also helped to evacuate the town, protecting everyone he could with the help of his team. Leon took the lead on wearing out the creature, utilizing his entire roster to keep it focused on him. While his main six attacked, he kept Zamazenta as a shield, blocking the most powerful strikes from hitting both his Pokémon and going towards the town.

It was going well, although it was harder than usual; he was reluctant to Gigantamax so close to a residential area, so he had to rely on Charizard's normal power. His training had paid off, though, and he was glad to see the Dubwool was beginning to slow down, even staggering here and there. It was angrier, too, but its attacks were less focused and sluggish. It wouldn't be long now until all its energy was spent, which meant they could move on to the next Dynamax problem, which was prevalent throughout the region.

"Slash it, Haxorus! Rillaboom follow up with Boomblast. Everyone else back up to give room!" he bellowed, and the Dubwool turned a fierce glare his way. Zamazenta seemed to sense the danger and leaped in front of him, snarling in challenge. His dragon Pokémon lunged forward to slice at the Dubwool's legs, making it yelp. It shrieked when his grass-type unleashed the massive sound blast, sending the Dynamax Pokémon stumbling back—and then it toppled over. It groaned, struggling to rise.

 _Allow me_ , the legendary Pokémon growled, body suddenly flaring with light and power. Leon didn't protest as the beast shot forward at high speeds and rammed right into the downed Pokémon. It cried out before collapsing, unconscious. The Dynamax energy burst in an explosion that sent them all a step back. The air crackled from the shock, particles heavy in the air. Zamazenta was the most affected, growling as pain shot through his body for a few seconds. He recovered soon enough, but still twitched and panted lightly.

"You okay?" the young man asked, touching the warrior Pokémon's leg gently.

He looked to his trainer, _I will be. Worry not; I can endure... but we must go._

Leon frowned, "What do you mean? What's going on?"

_I sense my sister is in danger. Eternatus' energy has appeared._

The young man's stomach twisted as his heart sank. If Zacian was in danger—then so was Cassandra. It was his worst fears coming true, and he cursed himself for having left. He couldn't fully regret it, not when his mother had been in danger. She was safe now, though, and so he returned everyone but Charizard to their balls. Just as he leaped onto the fire-type's back, Hop came running, confusion in his features.

"Leon, wait—where are goin'!?"

"The Kings are at Hammerlocke—I have to go back and help! Make sure everyone is safe here and then go take care of any other Dynamaxed Pokémon! I'm counting on you!" he shouted back, and before his brother could respond, Charizard shot off into the air. He made a straight beeline for the city so far to the north. Despite weariness from battle, the fire type flew as hard and as fast as he could, passing into the Wild Area in record timing.

Even so, Leon couldn't help worrying he would be too late.

———————

_Hammerlocke_

Cassandra's Pokémon came free of their balls, ready to strike. Zacian, especially, snarled and growled at their enemy, blade already charging. She came to stand with Raihan, whose team was out and ready to fight, too. His Duraludon bellowed in rage, while the rest of his powerful team snarled and growled in challenge. The two deplorable men stood at the entrance of the castle, just before the draw bridge. When and how they'd managed to sneak there, she couldn't say, but they were here now, and they were ready for war.

"Ah-ah," Swordward smirked, and, his younger brother holding Eternatus ball ready, fired off the mechanism controlling it. A small, but powerful blast flared towards them, lessened only by Zacian's parrying attack. The energy crackled and nipped at her fur, though, and the Pokémon snarled in rage.

"Yes, that's it! Show your true self, false King!" Shieldbert laughed and unleashed another blast. It had come faster than before, and there was nothing Raihan or her could do to stop from being knocked down. They pressed back up along with their Pokémon, but already the King's prepared to fire as Zacian howled in defiance, rage boiling within the Pokémon that felt like fire over the bond. The pokéball flared and hit them again. Again, they went down, struggling to rise this time. Another blast might be too much, and it was already being readied again. How they could shoot the energy off so many times so fast baffled her, but they had to stop them somehow. Her Pokémon weren't recovered yet, and Zacian was shaking despite her resolve to go forward to face the danger. Hope dwindled quickly for Cassandra, and she wasn't sure what to the do. The blast was already just about ready to fire. She could see the button being pressed. There was no way to avoid it. They'd were all still trying to get up. Cassandra could only raise her arms to brace for another blow as the pokéball flared.

_"Mirror Move!"_

A Pokémon's cry she hadn't heard in a long time echoed through the sky, and from on high a blast of energy shot by that resembled Eternatus'. The two strikes clashed and burst in an explosion that blew smoke and dirt their way. It dissipated quickly, though, and just as it did, a massive, beastly, blue-scaled Pokémon dropped down with a hard _thud_ , cracking the stones beneath. With a roar it opened its fanged maw and unleashed a fierce torrent of water that struck the Kings head on, knocking them back. Behind the water-type, a large, tan-and-brown colored bird with a golden crown landed suddenly. On its back was very a familiar ruby-haired man. He dismounted and the bird squawked while it flapped over to Cassandra, quickly nuzzling her all over and helping her stand. The man, meanwhile, unleashed another Pokémon, calling on a Weavile to fire an icy blast at the water, freezing it. Shieldbert howled in pain, his arm encased in ice, having been touched by the water at the same time.

Swordbert quickly slashed at it, just beyond the hand to break, and snarled, "How dare you!"

"Oh, fuck off you arrogant pricks. Feraligator, Weavile, keep them pinned! Don't let them use that device!" he barked, spinning on his heel, and approaching Cassandra and Raihan, who couldn't help staring in surprise. The young man unhooked three belts from his own and held them out. "Here, 'Cas, your teams—as promised. Sorry to borrow your Pidgeot, but when we saw those lights from offshore, I figured it was better to get here faster. Team Rescue and the other Leagues should be disembarking by now. I told them if they could fly to do it. So. Where do you need us?"

"Everywhere, Silver. Every city, and even the Wild Area. These guys have been releasing a special particle energy that's making Pokémon grow gigantic and _strong_. They call it Dynamaxing, and you need the most skilled teams and trainers to take them on. People and Pokémon need rescuing and care, too," she explained, and quickly worked to bring out all of her companions. One by one they emerged; Espeon, Gallade, Sceptile, Aggron, Frosslass, Lanturn; Empoleon, Luxray, Garchomp; Samurott, Zebstrika, and Zoroark.

"Understood. I may need to borrow some of your Pokémon for some teams."

"Not a problem. I planned to spread them out and help the town, anyways. There's more here than the other area—," she started, but had to pause, when a blast of energy sent Silver's Feraligator and Weavile stumbling back. Across the bridge, the two Kings fumed with a fiery rage.

"You _ungrateful, worthless maggots!"_ Shieldbert screamed, his arm still encased in ice. It was most likely frost-bitten now, maybe even worthless. "How _dare_ you fight against us! Who do you think you are!"

"The trainers who are going to take you down!" Raihan growled. "How about we give our Pokémon some boosts—fire first. Come on Turtonator, let loose some sunshine!"

"Wait, don't just—oh for Arceus' sake!" Silver snapped, quickly returning his Pokémon, who would do poorly under such conditions. He backed up to be even with the other two trainers, throwing a quick glare at the dragon Leader, who only grinned eagerly as his Pokémon released energy, and, from on high, the sun gleamed that much brighter and hotter.

"I'll add some myself. Electric team up front! Boltund, you know what to do; let's makes some shocking terrain!" she smirked to her sparking Pokémon, who barked eagerly. Charge gathered instantly into its fur and then released, creating a heavy static that filled the air. Fur and hair raised, and sparks lingered off her electrical-type Pokémon. Her Luxray and Zebstrika joined Boltund while Arcanine stood by Torkoal and Turtonator, flame and electricity shooting off all around.

"Alright, give 'em a warm, electrifying welcome!" Raihan whooped, and, all six corresponding types shot off Thunderbolts along with Flamethrowers and blasts. It was only a shot from Eternatus that saved the two, counteracting the attacks, and suddenly their smug faces weren't so smug. From their belts, their Pokémon began to emerge, suddenly not able to handle it with just their "trump card".

Cassandra pointed as she shouted, "Keep going! Other teams, let loose and back them up!"

Other elements soon joined the fire and electricity, the Kings crying out for Protect and Light Screens and other defensive maneuvers they could manage until they let off another wave of Eternatus energy. It was nullified by the combined blast, giving Zacian time to leap and unleash a wave of power from her blade. Again, they called for shields, but it was no match for the legendary's strength. The blast struck them hard, knocking the pokéball free and the Kings back. Their Pokémon staggered, but remained strong, hissing and snarling at their enemy.

"You can't win! Surrender!" Silver snapped. "The Unified League Organization has assembled all its people. You're out numbered. You'll face justice for your crimes against Pokémon _and_ humanity."

Swordbert laughed, "Our crimes against humanity? Oh, no... no, we are the true heralds of justice, and we will right this farce of a legend by your pathetic excuse for a warrior. You think this beast is so noble? It is but a thief of our rightful glory, and you will know it this day! You think you've won because you have numbers? You don't know true power then. Come, let us see if your numbers help you with _this_."

The crazed man slapped his hand onto the controller. Eternatus ball suddenly flared, and a wave more powerful than anything before shot forth. It knocked them all—even Zacian—to the ground, the legendary snarling in pain as dark, electrical energy sparked around it. Cassandra could feel the pain just on the edge of her senses along with rage that she wasn't sure wasn't her own. All around the air was heavy and energized, both invigorating and sapping their strength. Deep, loud groans and cries filled the air, and the trainers watched, helpless, as the Pokémon the two brother-kings had unleashed began to glow red, their bodies absorbing the power. They suddenly burst in size, growing larger and larger until they crashed through buildings around them and a tower on high. Their cries made the ground tremor and shake, and their steps as they moved in some sense of confusion threw the trainers to the ground again.

"Let us see how you handle _that_ , you ungrateful peons!" Swordbert howled.

"Brother, help!" Shieldbert cried out, and the man turned to find a chunk of the building had landed upon his brother, pinning all but one arm, which was still encased in ice. Shieldbert was helpless. The sword-bearing brother sneered.

" _Useless_! You've always been useless! Now, look at you! How am I supposed to get you out, hmm?! I should let you _rot_ there," he spat.

The younger man cried out, "What—no! Brother, help! _Please!_ "

"A _King_ does not _beg._ Help yourself, fool. I have a false hero to slay."

He abandoned Shieldbert then, marching through the debris of the castle, his aim for the group of three trainers and their Pokémon who had rushed back towards the main road to avoid any collapsing buildings. There, they regrouped, and took note of all that was going on. It wasn't good. Ten Dynamax Pokémon were loose in town and two Braviary were in the sky. They were demolishing buildings and hurting people and Pokémon. They had to be stopped.

Silver's phone rang, and he immediately answered, "Lance! I need more Champions here in Hammerlocke _now_ and the rest out to stop any of the giant Pokémon you see in the field! You have the map right?"

" _Ah, yes! What's going on? We saw another massive blast of light from the port!"_

"We have trouble, that's what, and we need all our strongest Pokémon where you saw that light!"

 _"We're on our way. Dragonite will get me there in no time. Alder, get out your_ _Druddigon_ _and get the other Champions and trainers to take their fastest fliers throughout the region, there's trouble!"_ they heard the other line say before Silver hung up, looking to them both. Around them, their Pokémon tensed, but were ready to fight.

"We need to split up," Cassandra grimaced. "We have to try and take out as many as we can. With Lance and Alder on the way, that makes five—two for each of us. Mine will help you, too. Raihan, take Sceptile, Boltund, Empoleon, and Espeon. They should provide you good support. Silver, take Gallade, Froslass, Garchomp, and Zebstrika. Spread them out as you need. The rest I'll keep to deal the ones up high. It won't be easy bringing them down.

She paused to face her Pokémon, the ones she named going to their respective temporary trainers, "Okay, guys. It's been a while. It's good to see you all, and I wish it could be under better circumstance, but we have a job to do, a city to protect, and a region to save. When it's over... there's a lot we need to talk about, and I promise to treat you all to some good things, and to meet new friends. But right now, we need to keep strong and fight our hardest. Those giant Pokémon are the toughest you're ever going to fight, so be smart and fight just like I trained you, alright?"

She got a chorus of snarls, barks, and growls, her Pokémon ready—save a Zoroark. He scowled at her and looked away.

"Cas, all good?" Raihan called, just about ready to move out after going over those that came to him. Espeon already seemed to like him, having climbed up onto his shoulders to perch. She nodded, waving him off. He clapped her shoulder, "I've got the Bisharp, Golisopod, and one of the Sirfetch'd until your friends can give me a hand. I'll be back soon, count on it. In the meantime, I think I'll see what it's like to try some new types out."

"And I'll take one of those Farfetch'd looking ones, and the weird multi-Pokémon, and... gear looking thing. What is with this region's Pokémon?" Silver frowned, shaking his head. She just bade him good luck and approached her dark-furred Pokémon. He still refused to look, and so she embraced him quickly.

_Chosen, we have no time. We must act!_

"I know, I'll be quick, Zacian!" she called out, and then lowered her voice for the Pokémon. "I'm sorry, buddy. I left you when I shouldn't have. I left without telling you so many things when I know you wanted to stay... when this is all over... we're going to have that talk. And then we have a lot of things to do—especially back in Unova."

It was a moment before she felt its arms and claws embrace her back, and although it wasn't totally happy with her, it would comply. She spared a smile, briefly recalling the days back in that region—how meeting her dark-type had been, in part, the first step to meeting N. All because of a young Zoara that found his brother in the arms of a green-haired boy.

But that was a story for another time.

Today was a battle, and she had two Braviaries, a Bronzong, and Doublade to deal with until help arrived.

"Pidgeot, you're top priority for those fliers. You're going to get Luxray up there and have him bring them down with Thunder," she commanded, and the bird—doting on both Tyranitar and the Corviknight that towered over her now—chirped in agreement and stared curiously at the smaller electrical Pokémon that roared softly in greeting. "Luxray, she's going to carry and throw you up high, and then she will _catch_ you on the way down. You've known her for years, so you know she'd good at what she does. Just trust in her and she'll make sure you succeed."

The Pokémon grunted in confirmation, and only slightly flinched when the Pidgeot lifted with a massive flap, grasped the dark-furred nape— _gently_ —and lifted off, enduring the small sparks that came from the Pokémon's fur. That done, she returned to her others.

"Alright, for Doublade, I need Arcanine, Zoarark, and Tyranitar. Aggron, Lucario you focus on the Bronzong; use any ground and dark moves you have. Samurott, Lapras, and Corviknight you guys provide support or back up or help anyone you see needs it. Zacian, I need you to help take out those Braviary when they fall—both at once if possible. Luxray's strong and should be able to paralyze them in one blast like before. After them, you do what you need to take down the other Dynamax once weak enough."

_With pleasure._

"Alright, go guys!" she shouted, and her Pokémon moved out at once, splitting into their three groups. Up on high, she saw a ball of light form that sparked wildly, and then three massive bolts of lightning lashed out, striking the giant birds. They shrieked in agony as their bodies sparked, paralyzing their wings, and came crashing down. They slammed into the buildings, crushing their roofs, and one slid down into the main road. It didn't stay down for long—neither did the other—and they hissed and cawed at the first targets they found: her and Zacian. The other perched on the buildings, ready to unleash wind-based attacks. However, the trainer and legendary weren't left alone for long. Pidgeot came swooping down, tossing Luxray in front so he could unleash another bolt that made the Braviary flinch in pain. It wasn't enough to stop them, but they were more cautious now.

One raised its wings, and she knew a blast was coming.

"Mirror Move!"

Pidgeot shot forward, and, power pooling around, it unleashed the same strike as the Braviary, canceling the blow. Almost. Her Pokémon still received a hit, though not as badly as it would have been. Zacian moved in at the same time, leaping over the jab of the Braviary's Peck, and slammed its behemoth blade down into its back with an energy blast strong enough that the ground beneath cracked. The bird croaked and then groaned as its pent-up energy released in a wave that struck the legendary. She flinched, staggering away some. The other Braviary squawked and lunged with its sharpened claws at Zacian, but Luxray dashed forward and unleashed a fierce Spark, striking the Braviary in the chest. It screamed as it stumbled—right into Zacian's waiting strike. It was slapped back into the buildings, and, the blow final, energy once against unleashed. Luxray hissed, but was mostly okay, while dark sparks flickered off Zacian's fur.

"Are you okay!?" she called out, coming to the staggering Pokémon.

 _I'm fine! Sh_ e snapped, harshly, but then recovered, and grunted. _I am fine. This is nothing compared to the battle with Eternatus long ago. Come, there are more enraged Pokémon to stop._

"You need to take a break—," she began, but then cried out when Zacian suddenly knocked her back—just in time to avoid the fallen form of the Doublade. It groaned, burned along its blade, and littered with dark scratches that oozed dark energy. Victorious cries of her Pokémon team reached her, and she was greeted with confident smirks as the Dynamax energy burst from the Pokémon and, like the Braviary, it shrank. She watched Zacian again endure more pain than the others from the blast. She was feeling fried herself, but the energy didn't bother her the same. It was more like being shocked over and over.

"Zacian hold back with me to keep an eye on things, you guys start moving that way—Wait, is that... Ha! It is! Lance finally made it. I bet Alder, too, perfect. Silver should be that way," she beamed, although frowned again when she realized there were a lot more Dynamax Pokémon than she thought in the lower and upper levels. Chaos was all around.

 _I will go on and take down what are left. My brother should be here soon to help_.

"No, hold on! Doublade team wait, we need to see where we're most needed," she urged, looking away from their fallen foes to see where the worst was. As such, she failed to notice a figure approaching, a blade wielded high, ready to strike down.

——————————————————

_The Northern Wild Area_

"Kommo-mo, Close Combat!" Gloria bellowed, jabbing a finger as she rode atop Rapidash's back, clinging to its pastel-colored mane. Her fighter-dragon bellowed as it lunged at the Dynamaxed Leipard, striking and kicking and slapping its tail rapidly into the dark-type Pokémon, who yowled in pain. With a final punch to its face, the Liepard toppled to the ground and didn't move. Dynamax energy burst from its body in an explosion as it shrunk down and returned to its normal form. Her dragon panted heavily, its defenses lowered, but the rest of her team were close by.

Unfortunately, so were other crazed Pokémon. Not all of them had Dynamaxed, but the air was thick with the energy. It had never been so crazy, normally restricted to Dens, but whatever caused this—whatever the _Kings_ had done, had sent the Wild Area into a frenzy. The Galarian particles were making even normally docile Pokémon aggressive, and some were made larger than before, though not full Dynamax size. There were others at the fearsome size, and it was to one such Pokémon—a Corviknight—that she stated towards next. Her Pokémon back in their balls, she urged Rapidash into a gallop, racing for the bird which soared in a circle in the sky. She lamented how this one was going to be tough. She didn't have a bird to fly on.

"Heliolisk, I need you!" she called, tossing her ball. From it, her small electric lizard appeared, hissing its challenge. "Bring it down!"

The electric-type Pokémon let out a cry as it built a charge into its body, and, after a few seconds, unleashed the power in a flurry of lightning bolts that blasted right at the Corviknight. It struck home, causing the bird to falter and begin to fall. It corrected itself, though, and turned its attention towards Gloria and her Pokémon. It let out a bellowing cry and swooped down.

"Ninetails, quick—Flamethrower!" the Galar Champion shouted, tossing its ball. The nine-tailed creature howled in challenge and, sucking in air, blew a fierce flame at the oncoming bird. It squawked in pain, waylaying its impending attack, and forcing it fully to the ground. It slapped a wing their way still, though, and the sheer force of the wind pushed her Pokémon against the ground. She would have fallen, too, if she didn't cling to her Rapidash. The Corviknight wailed loudly, puffing itself up threateningly. Her Pokémon snarled back in challenge, Ninetails spitting fire as it curled its lip, and Heliolisk flaring sparks as it claws at the ground with its feet.

Gloria jabbed a finger to give her orders but was waylaid as a Pokémon cry echoed and then became a deafening shriek. She looked to the right just as a Machoke doubled and tripled in size, sparking magenta-colored flares of energy. By a sheer stroke of bad luck, it's gaze landed on her, and it screamed with rage.

"Shi—everyone move!" she rasped, urging Rapidash to move as the fighting-type Pokémon started to charge. This was bad. So very bad. One Dynamax Pokémon was difficult enough, but now _two_? Her team was already tired after taking down three before this. She wasn't sure if she could handle more. What could she do? What moves would be enough? Should she Dynamax, too? Or save it? Should she run? No, she was the Champion, she had to stay and fight and protect everyone. She couldn't let Hop or Leon and the others down. She had to fight, but she couldn't think—couldn't figure out the right move.

The Machoke raised its arms to strike, and she braced as Rapidash made to move.

The blow never came.

"Leaf Storm!"

"Muddy Water!"

Green leaves flared all around the Machoke, making numerous thin slices that made it yelp and rear back in pain. The Corviknight found it's face flooded with brown-colored water that made it shriek and shake its head wildly, eyes squeezed shut. Gloria gasped, turning her head the direction the attacks had come, and found two trainers—a young man and woman with matching red-and-black outfits, though the man wore a white beanie, and the girl a red headband with a bow. They had stopped on their bicycles on the hill, their Pokémon by their side. Gloria had never seen them; the man with a large, blue-colored Pokémon that had immense bulk on the front to where it's body and arms were overly rounded save for the black fins coming out of its head and red mounds and spikes all over. It that vaguely reminded her of a Seismatoad or a Quagswire combined, but she'd never seen it before in her life. The same could be said for the woman's green lizard-dragon-like Pokémon, its body riddled with leaf-shaped spikes and a long tail that had a tree-like shape at the end and orbs all along its back.

The Dynamax Pokémon pushed away for the moment, the two trainers quickly peddled over, their Pokémon racing with them to join her team. The two strange Pokémon cried out in greeting, and she was relieved to know they were on her side.

"Hey! We were told we were needed out here in the, uh... Wild Area, right?" the young man grinned, giving a two-fingers salute before looking to Corviknight. He whistled, "What kind of Pokémon is _that_? It's _huge_! Is it a legendary?"

Gloria blinked, "Huh? Oh, no, it's Dynamaxed—it's just big until we beat it."

"Oh, phew. I was worried there for a minute," the young woman laughed, looking to the Machoke then to her. "You look liked you could use some help. Those Pokémon look tough."

"They are. And you're right—I need the help. My team's getting worn out. We have to be careful, though; Dynamaxed Pokémon are insanely strong. It usually takes at least four Pokémon and their trainers to beat just _one_."

"Ha! Sounds like we came to a fun place! Galar really is interesting. Well, can you tell us what type that bird is? We have Machokes back home, so we know."

"It's Corviknight, a Steel-Flying... Wait, where are you guys from? Who are you?"

"We're two of Hoenn's Champions, and we came with the ULO to help you guys out. Name's Brendan."

The woman smiled, pulling an Ultra ball from the pack on her belt, "And I'm May."

"Gloria, Galar's newest reigning Champ," she smiled back, though it faltered when the Dynamax Pokémon screamed and prepared to attack once more. "I hope you guys are ready."

"Oh, trust me. We are. Galar isn't the only region with _giants_ ," Brendan smirked as he, too, brought out an Ultra ball. With a glance to May, who returned it, the two trainers tossed their balls, and Gloria couldn't help her gasp as two massive beings emerged, one a brilliant blue like the roaring seas, and the other a deep, fire red like a trothing lava plume. Their cries were like thunder across the sky.

The young man was right. Galar really wasn't the only region.

———————————————

_The Northern Wild Area_

A Bewear tower over the area, it's cries ringing out like a thunderous roar that shook the earth almost as much as its steps. All around Pokémon scurried and ran, trying desperately to avoid it's gargantuan paws. Each movement crushed and toppled the land, from trees and boulders, to leaving craters in the earth itself. It swung its massive arms in a mindless rage, throwing down many Pokémon with the resulting gusts. It was even enough to force the two men below to take cover behind their Pokémon, a massive blue-tinged metallic beast floating off the ground, and a large serpent with a tanned bodies adorned in a glorious rainbow of scales. Their trainers chuckled as they reemerged, one a tall man with pale, pristine skin to go against turquois hair tucked into a white that that matched the white uniform that let little to the imagination; the other a shorter, more slender gentleman clad in his dark-colored suit, metal rings upon his wrist, all contrasting well with his sky-blue eyes and hair. 

"Well, well... looks like Cassandra wasn't joking when she said it was bad," the young man mused, glancing to his taller companion. Before he could respond, a pair of familiar cries rang out in the distance. Looking northward, they could see the tumultuous battle in the skies of sunshine trying to oust a storm, and the storm seeking to block out the sun. "Looks like we're falling behind, Wallace. May and Brendan are a step ahead. I'm starting to feel old."

" _You_ are. I'm the fountain of youth as always, Stevie boy. Don't worry, though; I will happily assist in helping you feel better. Say, perhaps, by finishing off our area first?" Wallace mused, a playful glint to his eyes. When his companion made a face he laughed, 'Oh, come now, _Steven_ , no need to be so pouty, although i love when you do so."

"I hate that nickname," he huffed, pulling a pin with a stone set on the end. It glowed a beautiful green, with a mixtures of bright colors within--not unlike a rainbow encased in a bead. "You are right though--we ought to show those two how it's done. A little payback or trouncing us."

"Precisely. Milotic, you ready, my dear?" the taller man inquired, stroking his Pokémon's neck gently. It gave off a melodious cry of agreement. 

Steven looked to his Pokémon as well, "Metagross, you ready? It's time to Mega Evolve."

The metallic beast bellowed its agreement as well. The two trainers just grinned, and in the wake of a brilliant, blinding light that swallowed the Metagross in a ball that radiated power and energy, the battle began. 

——————————————-

_Postwick_

"Mom! _Mom_!"

Hop pushed through the crowd that rushed towards the Pokécenter and train station, the only large, safe places for the town to go to. The dark-skinned woman with hair to match his turned and spotted her youngest son as he came close. She crossed the last distance and embraced him tight. She cupped both sides of his face, tears welling in her golden eyes.

"Oh, Hop! My baby! Are you okay? I saw you and your brother fighting that Dubwool! Wait—where is--where's Leon? He's not lost, is he?" she rasped, looking everywhere while she grasped Hop's shoulders. The young man took hold of her arm in kind, bringing her eyes back to him.

"He went back to Hammerlock. There was trouble, and he went to help 'Cas. I stayed here to help everyone. I need you to hurry and get to the Pokécenter, okay?"

"Only if you come with me. I'm not going to let you go running off and get hurt again! I already almost lost you both!" his mother rasped, tears falling down. The young man paused, smiling softly. His mom really was so strong. She always been, especially when it became just the three of them. He hadn't gotten to understand why until a few years ago when Leon finally told him about Dad, but he'd seen the woman before him never once falter in being the best mother she could be and making sure neither him or his brother went without.

"It'll be okay, Mom. I promise," he chuckled, placing a kiss on her brow.

"Oh, no—no, no! You don't get to that, Hop! Don't you dare! Leon does the same darn thing when he's about to go do something foolish!" she barked, jabbing a finger.

"I'm just going to make sure everyone is safe and take care of any rampaging Pokémon!" he chuckled.

"I don't care! You are coming with me right now and—."

"Hey! Is there anyone in charge here! We're Team Rescue! We've come to report in and help!" a voice shouted above the crowd, causing many to pause. Hop included, who turned and looked to where the voice had come. It was easy to spot the squad of five, three men and two women, clad in white-colored gear with a large, red "R" on the front of their clothes. They looked just like Cassandra described. Team Rescue. At the head, though, was a different trainer. A young man, with bright yellow hair, light skin, and a blue jacket over a matching set of dark pants and shirt. None of them were familiar, but their name along told him all he needed to know.

Their back up had arrived.

Relief flooded through the young man. Their chances just skyrocketed. With the other leagues here, they'd have no problem dealing with all the Pokémon. No matter what the King threw at them, they could handle it now.

Hop smiled warmly at his mom, "I need to go talk with them. I'm basically the representative here since I'm a Cup finalist and Professor assistant and all."

His mother waited a few seconds before sighing and wiping her eyes. She touched his cheek gently.

"You've grown up so fast, Hopkins. You and Leon both are just so amazing. I'm so proud to call you my boys."

"And I'm proud to call you 'mom'. Now, _please_ , get to safety. I'll come find you after this over and then we can go give Leon a piece of our mind for leaving so abruptly," he grinned, making his mother laugh. She was the one to kiss his forehead this time and went with him to the trainers. She veered off just before he stopped, though, meeting the gaze of the blonde-haired man. He spared his mother a final glance—she waved and nodded—and then held out his hand.

"Name's Hop. I'm assistant to Professor Sonia, and semi-finalist to the Champion Cup. I don't really need you guys to listen to me or check in, but I could use some help coordinate the evacuation. We don't have many people left here, but there some homes on the outskirts where the Pokémon are getting aggressive and Dynamaxing."

The man frowned, shaking his hand, "'Dynamax'? I remember Cynthia talking about that, but I don't know what it's about."

"Think of it as super-sizing a Pokémon and making them insanely powerful. We'll need four trainers at least for one. Although, something tells me you count for four on your own."

"Ha! You've got a good eye, kid," the man smirked. "Name's Volkner, 8th Gym Leader of Sinnoh. Been getting bored back home, so I figured helping here might give some inspiration. So.

He paused to gesture to their group, "You might not be a commander, but we're still yours to command. Lead the way, Hop. We're here to help."

"Good. Then let's go and keep these people safe, then we can see who else needs our help. Feel free to let all your Pokémon loose; you're gonna need to."

Volkner just grinned.

\------------------------------

_Hammerlock - East Side_

Raihan cursed as the giant Golisopod swiped a claw and struck down a brick rail, showing the material his way. The sheer force of it slapped a brick into his shoulder hard enough for him to hear—and feel—a pop. He hit the ground roughly, too, and, ironically, it pushed his limb back into place. It still hurt like nobody's business and he had to use his other hand to push up. He was scraped and bruised, but he was hardly down for the count and neither were his Pokémon. Cassandra's were doing plenty fine, too, and he had to say, he was impressed.

Espeon was kind enough to stick close to him, using its psychic abilities to ward off more debris flying his way. The little guy had been busy before but must have senses the danger to him and came rushing back. He was grateful for it, already aching in his shoulder and other parts of his body. He couldn't be too upset, though—he might have been injured, but he was alive, and that meant a lot more than some. He'd already seen a few bodies, which had hit his gut like a punch. There was nothing more he could do for them, though; rather, he had to focus on those alive and keeping them safe. Thank Arceus not many people were around, most of them having escaped towards the bridge.

That just left him, his and Cassandra's Pokémon, and one Golisopod and Bisharp. He'd managed to take down the Sirfetch'd thanks to Espeon's ridiculous psychic abilities and the Sceptile's flying-move techniques, but the water-bug and dark-steel were tricky—and strong. Boltund was mostly useful in stunning the Golisopod and distracting them with its swift movements. The Empoleon could hit hard with water and ice attacks, and his fire-types could handle the Bisharp well enough, but the rest only had basic damaging against the types.

Still, he was winning. It was just overwhelming. He could tell the Pokémon were getting tired, and one Dynamax Pokémon was hard enough to take down. Two seemed impossible, but he wouldn't give up. He could _never_ give up—not when everyone was depending on him. His entire city was depending on him, too, and he couldn't call himself Gym Leader if he ran.

At least he'd stopped getting SOS calls. On one hand, that could be a bad thing, but he decided to believe in his comrades. They'd no doubt come out on top, and, if that were the case, then so would he.

"Flygon, Duraludon—Dragon Pulse! Turtonator, Sunny Day! Torkoal, Flamethrower!" he bellowed, roaring like his Pokémon. "Espeon, give that bug something to worry about! Sceptile, you, too, bring on some of those Air Cutters!"

It felt strange having Pokémon he'd just met listen so effectively, but Cassandra had trained them well. Even after their attacks they kept moving, helping his own, or any stragglers around. They did their best to shield against attacks or divert them, albeit at the cost of rubble and shrapnel being tossed and throw about. Raihan again had to shield himself from some, cursing when a sharp bit of something sliced into his cheek. He didn't need a mirror to know it had cut deep, the blood pooling out as he watched his green-skinned dragon get hit by the Golisopod, slamming it into the ground.

"Flygon!" he bellowed, rushing over to whip out a Hyper Potion spray. As he did, the Golisopod opened its maw and shot a blast of water his way. He covered Flygon with his body just as Espeon teleported in front of him and put up a barrier, but the purple-colored creature struggled, slumping to the ground and snarling under the strain. It would only be a matter of time before it broke through if it kept up.

A sound like a jet plane breached the chaos and a blur of black appeared in the sky, slamming into the Golisopod. The sheer force of it created a loud _BOOM,_ and the bug-water type Pokémon started to fall. It was then Raihan spotted a black-skinned, bipedal like Pokémon with fins on its back and for arms, a strange, rounded head with rounded fins popping out the side. It fell in a glide, landing not far from where he was and hissed threateningly at the Dynamax Pokémon, which started to rise.

A Lucario shot by in the next second, and he swore it was Cassandra's, but then he spotted the clip in its ear. A Roserade trotted by next, followed by a massive Milotic and Togekiss, all of whom glanced their way. The fairy-type Pokémon did pause, though, and gave off beads of water that splashed against his body. His pain was instantly soothed some, though not all.

"You did well to hold out against these monsters," a feminine voice spoke, and Raihan looked back to find a tall, blonde woman clad solely in black and with strange, bulb like ornaments poking out from the side of her head. Her bangs covered one eye, of which had a strong, cool gaze, but a warm smile for him. She had an intense aura about her—one which reminded him of Leon. At her side, was a crazy looking ghost, a vicious green smile plastered on its purple body littered with green spots.

"Uh, thanks," he managed to speak as he stood up, Flygon rising with him. "Name's Raihan, love. Who do I owe the honors?"

"Cynthia, Champion of Sinnoh."

"Well, _shit_. I'm extra honored. Don't suppose you're here to give a Gym Leader a hand?"

"Intuitive, aren't you?" she chuckled, holding out her hand to him. "Yes, I am here to help."

Raihan stared as he took her hand and helped ease him up. Flygon chirped curiously at her and accepted her touch.

She met his gaze, "You have a good bond with him. I can tell."

"He's one of my best buds. So, you ready to take on these Dynamax Pokémon? Me n' Cassandra's gang are ready to go," he grinned, and right on cue, Espeon leaped onto his shoulders. Beyond them, Bisharp was tossed back by their Pokémon while Golisopod finally rose once more, visibly tired and weakened.

"Ah, I see she lent her Pokémon to you. She trusts you a good deal then. I'm glad. Now, shall we, Raihan?"

The Gym Leader chuckled, "We shall. Try not to swoon over my skills, love."

"Oh my," Cynthia laughed, and the battle was on once more.

_————————————————-_

_Hammerlocke - West Side_

"Silver!"

The voice echoed as the red-haired trainer as he had his Alakazam put up a barrier to block the gear-like Pokémon's electrical strike, a Zap Cannon if he ever saw one. The type confused him, the Pokémon seemingly not weak to any rock attacks, but was hit hard by Gallade's punches and kicks. It annoyed him greatly, but at least he'd taken down the Pokémon that looked to be made up of nine tiny heads. Galar Pokémon were Arceus-forsaken strange, and powerful, too, which made it worse. He was having trouble keeping up against them despite Cassandra's Pokémon proving valuable allies. These "Dynamax" Pokémon were ridiculously strong and barely seemed to flinch from most attacks. They had endured countless now and the multi-one had only fallen maybe minutes ago. The Farfetch'd-like one and the gear were still going strong.

However, the tide was about to turn. Glancing up, Silver spotted Lance and Alder. They dove down in on their Dragonite and Druddigon. Dragons were just what they needed, and the two flying beasts shot off to attack the giant Pokémon. Silver was grateful, but lamented that, even when they went down, they still have Pokémon to fight. The emergency crews were doing alright, and he could see Team Rescue members flying in as the seconds went by. They should be able to handle things, especially the Pokémon that weren't gigantic, but just going wild.

"Lance, Alder. We need to take these two down so we can move on to the others. Do _not_ underestimate them. Even with both Cassandra and I's Pokémon working together, I've only gotten one taken down. They're practically on part with Legendary-tier Pokémon," he explained quickly, wiping some blood from his lip where rubble had nicked him.

"Damn, that insane. I never knew their Dynamax could be _this_ intense," Lance breathed, shaking his head as he unleashed his team of dragons and Gyarados. "I can send my Dragonite throughout the city to stat helping."

Alder hummed as he brought out his team, too, "What types are we looking at?"

"I thought the Farfetch'd one would be flying, but it seems weak to Psychic. The gear one... I'm not sure. Fighting hits it hard. Maybe steel? It uses electric types, though, so it might be like Magnemtite."

"Aaah, it's a Klinkang. It's steel. Don't worry, Volcarona can handle that," the Unova Champion laughed, eyes bright with excitement. 

"Charizard can back you up. Focus your Alakazam on the Farfetch'd one. I'll have Dragonite use its aerial attacks."

Silver nodded, "Sounds like a plan. Go ahead and send out the rest to help the others. I'll do the same and start heading back to see how 'Cas is faring. She's where the Kings are."

"Wait—she's taking them on _alone_?" Lance balked before shouting commands to his Pokémon. They took off, either striking at the two Dynamaxed Pokémon, or spreading out to help the emergency crews along with the arriving Team Rescue members. He sighed, shaking his head, "What am I saying? Of course, she is! Arceus, help us."

"Tell me about it. At least she has a Legendary Pokémon with her or something. It's some giant one that looks like her Suicune a bit and has a sword."

"That Cassandra always did get herself into the most interesting of situations," Alder chuckled for a moment before his expression grew somber. "Silver, we'll handle this. Go to her. She needs a friend by her side. She can't face this alone. Not again."

"What do you—wait... you... You're the Unova Champion. You were there," the ruby-haired man breathed, realization dawning.

"I was. Which is why I know in dark times like these, when she takes the weight world onto her shoulders, she needs her friends more than ever. Now, hurry!"

Silver watched as Alder turned his attention to the Dynamax Pokémon, his mind reeling. Cassandra never did tell him what happened in Unova; of the terrible things she had endured to make her shut herself off from everyone. He'd been insulted and hurt and tried to understand why his old friend wouldn't even tell _him_ when they'd come to trust one another entirely. He'd almost hated her for running, too, but, in the end, he couldn't. She was family, even if not by blood, and he cared for her. She was the first person who had seen who he was under all his anger and spite for his father and ultimately made _him_ see it, too. He trusted her and knew he couldn't call himself _her_ sister and especially not friend if he gave up. So, he'd waited for her to call all this time, and only found it a little amusing she'd finally called—for help.

He supposed that was Cassandra, though. She could never let evil lie, and if she could something— _anything—_ to help, she would.

Now, it was his turn to help her.

Turning on his heel, he called to his and the redhead's Pokémon, and jogged towards center area, stopping only to help those in need.

_———————————_

_Hammerlock - Central_

Cassandra's only sign of danger was the sudden roar of her Arcanine, which lunged towards her and crashed right into Swordward. He howled in rage as the fire type snarled and spit fire, hackles raised while avoiding a sword swing. The man was enraged, swinging his blade wildly, and then screamed before turning to face Cassandra.

"I will _kill_ you for what you've done!" he bellowed and charged again.

"Arcanine wait--!" she cried out as she reached for his fur, but missed; her cried unheeded. 

Arcanine wouldn't--couldn't let the man go. He had dared to hurt his beloved trainer and partner, and he would do anything and everything to protect her. So he lunged, and snarled as he missed, the man dodging just in time and taking his own shot at the fire Pokémon. He twisted and turned, dodging the silver of the blade just as the man barely avoided fang and fire. Clothes were ripped, though, and singed, and scratches soon emerged, his screams of fear and fury filling the air. Cassandra called for her Pokémon to stop again, but Arcanine was relentless, refusing to let the man near her. He bit and snarled and gnashed his teeth and spit flame after flame, until--at last; he leaped and found purchase, sinking his fangs into the man's shoulder. Swordward screamed as the fire type flung him some feet away where the man rolled and blood splattered onto the stones. Arcanine refused to stop, though; leaping at the man as he rolled onto his back, fire flaring within his mighty jaws, ready to turn the enemy to ash.

A flash of metal met it.

Arcanine landed on top Swordward, but here was no burning inferno. The once readied flame had been cut short. Instead, the Pokémon flinched, blue eyes wide, and then his body grew slack, slumping down. The man grunted as he shoved the fire-type off, staggering away, clutching his shoulder with his free hand while the other still held his weapon.

His blade was covered in blood.

Arcanine didn't get up.

He didn't even move.

A wretched scream ripped from Cassandra's throat. Her feet, once frozen, sprinted forward, knocking Swordward away, who went stumbling and fumbling, shaken by her Arcanine's assault. Boltund, Corviknight, and Lapras quickly move to stand between while she pulled her Arcanine's head into her lap. Her hand found the wound, and when she pulled it back, her entire palm was painted with wet, sticky red fluid. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. She tried to say his name, but the words came out in chokes. She shook him, pet him, stroked his face, smearing it with red, but the Pokémon's eyes were listless and the body still.

He was already cold.

There was so much blood

Just like before.

Just like N.

Arcanine was gone.

Her dearest friend and Pokémon was dead.

She couldn't save him.

An unholy sound came from her, sorrow and despair mixing with a terrible, hateful rage. She hugged her Arcanine close, and beside her Pidgeot let out an agonizing shrill as she cried out to the fire-type. Tyranitar howled in anger and sorrow and turned its darkened eyes on the man. An orb of light appeared in its jaw, and it fired off a Hyper Beam wildly, just barely missing. The others began to follow suit, Corviknight and Luxray starting to herd the man into a corner with Steel Wing and Thundershock, snarling, shrieking, and growling at him. Lapras blast with Ice Beam, blocking an attempted escape route.

" _Kill him!"_ Cassandra screamed, the hate burning in her. The only reason they didn't move right away was the fall of another Dynamax Pokémon, whose energy burst free. Zacian made a pained sound, but also an enraged one. She snarled and barked, the dark energy sparking more wildly now. Her pupils seemed to fade, golden irises glowing. The blade's energy grew erratic, and there was a fierce pressure coming from the Pokémon.

 _"Kill him_ — _kill him kill him kill him! Kill him_ — _!"_ the redhead continued to shriek, tears streaming down her face as she clutched Arcanine tight. Tyranitar prepared another blast, and her Pokémon readied to follow her commands, but a terrible, snarling howl from Zacian stopped them, the sound followed by a powerful wave of energy fueled by the raw power of the Pokémon. It knocked them to their feet and flung Swordward back. He scrambled up and, of all things, _laughed_.

"Yes—yes, yes yes! That's it! _There_! This is its true nature—a wild _beast!_ It is my ancestors who were the true saviors of this land! The ones who stopped this foul creature and used its power to subdue Eternatus! Look, you pitiful wretch, that is your precious he—"

He could say no more as Zacian was suddenly on him, blade swinging. It was by sheer luck the man ducked down in time, and, fear suddenly taking over, he scrambled away as the building that had been behind him was cleaved in two. Zacian howled angrily and lashed out every which way in her failure. There was no sense to her movements, and she even slashed at her comrades, who backed away to protect their trainer. Cassandra didn't care, though; she only saw the blood pooling around her Arcanine and the red on his fur and felt only the hatred for that man who had taken her precious Pokémon.

" _Cassandra_!" a voice called, but she didn't dare look who. A hand grasped her shoulder, but she shrugged it away.

" _Stay away_!" she shrieked, turning a fierce glare at the one who touched her. She flinched when she saw it was Leon. Beyond him, Zamazenta stood, despair in his features.

 _Sister, no! Stop!_ He bellowed and lunged forward to meet the other legendary's blade. His sister only snarled, striking hard. _Stop! Please! Return to your senses!_

"What is going on!? What happened to—wait... is that... Oh no," Leon breathed, finally seeing the pool of blood—and the smears of red. Now he understood why she was sobbing, why she raged. Arceus, help him—help _her_. He'd been too late. Leon knelt to quickly embrace her. "Cassandra, I'm so sorry, but you have to let him go! We have to stop Zacian, she's gone mad!"

"Good, let him kill that fucking piece of shit! He deserves to die for what he did to Arcanine!" she sobbed, shoving Leon away. He visibly flinched, eyes wide.

"Zacian's destroying the town! You have to stop her!"

"Let her! Let it burn so long as those bastards die!"

"Cas—!" he tried again, his heart dropping. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to comfort her. She was consumed by the loss of her Pokémon and he couldn't reach her. It made his stomach twist so much he felt nauseous. His heart ached even more, knowing even as her lover he could do nothing to save her. Again.

His stupor was broken as a young man with ruby hair came storming towards them. Her Pokémon parted for him, and Leon watched, dumbfounded, as the man suddenly grabbed the redheaded woman's collar, dragged her up, and slapped her _hard_ across the face. Leon shot up, snarling and ready to shout at him, but the man spoke first.

"Cassandra _wake the fuck up!"_ he bellowed, and the sheer surprise of it all did seem to knock some sense back. She touched her smarting cheek, eyes wide. Silver pointed at Zacian. "Your Pokémon is going wild destroying the town and you're sitting here doing nothing! Arcanine is _dead_ , and I am sorry for that, but this whole town will burn, and more people will die if you don't do something _now_! You're the only who can, and the rest of us are too busy trying to protect everyone else. So Arceus help me, either you get a fucking grip, or I will _make_ you!"

He didn't need to say more. Cassandra looked from her long-time rival and friend to the scene around her. Fires, smoke, debris, and bodies and blood painted the city. It was chaos, and now Zacian—her Pokémon—was running rampant.

Because of _her_.

Because _she_ was angry.

Because _she_ couldn't keep Zacian from fighting.

Because _she'd_ wanted Zacian to be angry and to kill.

And she had.

Her Pokémon still was.

"What have I done?" Cassandra breathed, and, taking one last look at her fallen Arcanine, she knew what she had to do. She didn't want to leave her precious fire-type, but she couldn't let her let her newest companion fall to the madness the false kings so badly wanted. It would have made her Arcanine's death been in vain.

So, she ran—right towards the legendary, ignoring the shouts from Leon and Silver. Zamazenta blocked another attack from Zacian and managed to counter with a body slam of his own, still crying out for his sister. It was then Cassandra realized Zacian wasn't answering. Her mind was clouded by the dark energy, and her brother couldn't reach. She would have to do it another way. She didn't know if it would work, but she had to have faith it would.

After all, if she could believe in the warrior, then she could do anything, right? The redhead just hoped she believed in herself. Either way, she had to try as she ran right in front of the Pokémon, arms held out.

"Zacian, _stop_! Stop! Please! I'm sorry! This is all my fault! No more killing! No more fighting! Please! Come back to your senses!" she shouted, ignoring the concerned cries of her human companions. The legendary just snarled, slamming a paw down near her. She dodged it, though, and lunged forward to take the beast's head into her arms, squeezing tight so the snout was pressed into her chest. " _Zacian!_ It's me! I'm sorry! Please _stop_! You don't have to fight anymore! It's okay!"

The Pokémon struggled at first, but not as thoroughly. Cassandra tried to reach for the bond. She called to Zacian, begged her to stop; to not become the monster their enemy wanted. She was a noble warrior, not a beast. The redhead called and called and pleaded, and then screamed as the dark energy flared off the legendary's body. It struck her as it hadn't before, and she suddenly knew the pain her Pokémon had been in the whole time. A deep sorrow filled her, and she willed the strength to save Zacian. She believed she could do it, and the energy continued to flare off and out, forcing everyone back, until, at last, it was done.

Her body felt weak, and Zacian was the same, the sword dropped from her mouth, reverting to an ancient, rusted blade. The legendary collapsed in her regular form, armor dissipating. She panted heavily, weak groans coming from her. Cassandra groaned, too, body aching as if she'd been hit by a Taurus. She supposed she almost had.

_Chosen._

She looked and found the Pokémon's golden eyes staring at her. Tears welled once more and she sobbed, stroking the furry brow. She had lost one, but she had at least saved another.

"I'm sorry—I'm so sorry. I did that to you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I—."

"No—no, no, no, no no _no! No!_ You insufferable piece of garbage, you've ruined _everything_!" a voice that refused to die boomed, and Cassandra turned just as Swordward came rushing at her, sword raised once against to strike her down. She was too weak to move quickly, and even Zacian struggled to rise. "I'll end you both now, once and for all!"

Arcanine wasn't there to help her this time, but Leon was. The sword was met with a rusted shield, Zamazenta having released his power to the purple-haired man, who deflected the sword slice with ease. Swordward was thrown back in surprise and then was sent flying when Leon slammed the shield into the man's face. He fell the ground, face a bloodied mess with his nose broken, and would have risen again, but Tyranitar had lumbered over along with Lucario and Charizard, who now stared him down, ready to strike. Leon pushed between, a fierce look on his face.

"For your sake: _stay the fuck down_. Guys, keep him here until the authorities come. If he moves... do whatever you want," he growled, making a point to kick Swordward's weapon away. The three Pokémon growled in affirmation, the fire-type spitting a flame for good measure. That done, Leon quickly moved to Cassandra's side. Silver was already there, steadying her to a sitting position. He didn't hesitate to move in and embrace her, though, which she returned weakly. Zamazenta had followed and he nuzzled his sister Pokémon gently. Zacian made a whine but wagged her tail. They were both tired. Very tired.

"Don't scare me like that, 'Cas, jeez," the young man breathed, not wanting to let go, but he pulled back to give her some air and kiss her brow.

"Sorry—I... Arcanine... Can you take me to him?" she whispered, and her lover nodded. Silver watched, just in case he was needed, and followed along with his own Pokémon. The three standing guard remained so, preventing the would-be king from moving as Leon brought Cassandra over her fallen companion. He set her by his head, which she took in her lap again. Her tears started anew, pressing her face into his fur.

"...I'm sorry. He... He was always a good Pokémon. To you. To me. And even to mine," Silver spoke somberly, and like him, his Pokémon that had stayed close lowered their heads. Even Feraligator made a sad rumble, the Pokémon his own rival—and friend.

Cassandra didn't reply, crying quietly. She only dared looked up as a pair of roars echoed and from the sky landed a Dragonite and a Druddigon. A pair of men descended, one with reddish hair and black attire matched with a cape, and the other a lightly tanned man with hair like fire clad in white and orange. Their faces were somber as they saw the scene and approached reverently, their Pokémon quiet, though on watch.

"Oh no... 'Cas," the Dragonite rider sighed, coming beside Silver.

"Alder. Lance. Did you take care of the rest?" he asked, and they nodded.

"Team Rescue is sweeping through as we speak. The rest should be moving to the Wild Area shortly," Alder gestured. His voice became a growl, fist clenching, "Who did this?"

"It was _that_ bastard over there. He's got a lot to answer for. He had another with him, but I haven't seen them since the Pokémon grew gigantic," Silver ground out.

Lance sent a glare to the man before returning his gaze to the red-haired woman and the Pokémon in her grasp. He had yet to know the loss of a Pokémon, but he'd known her and her Pokémon for a long, long time. The fire-type had always been loyal and brave and strong, and always loving and kind to his trainer and friends. He'd always admired their companionship—the fierce bond the two shared, and now it was gone. He wasn't sure if even he could have handle that, and yet, if what Alder had told him of her time in Unova, this wasn't the first time for her. He didn't know how his friend could still be holding it even _marginally_ together right now.

He crouched won, touching her shoulder gently, "I'm so sorry, 'Cas. Arcanine was..."

"—the best," she finished, choking on a sob. Leon wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close as he stroked the fallen Pokémon's fur as well. He pulled back suddenly, though, when the body began to change; fur turned a dull grey and started to fade. Once vibrant colors turned dull, and the solid body gradually turned to ash. All that remained was his charcoal collar, which rest in her lap. Cassandra's sobs started anew as she took hold of it, squeezing it tight. It was the fate of all fire Pokémon that died—to turn to ash, their flames burned out. It hurt even more.

"Come on, let's get you to a safe place," Leon urged, but she shook her head as she tried to stand. He was there to steady her, the others looking on with empathy—especially Alder. He, too, had felt loss of a Pokémon before.

"No, we need to make sure Raihan is okay. Gloria and Hop, too, and the other Leaders. And there's still more to be done. My Pokémon and I can still help."

 _And I can still fight,_ Zacian grunted as she pushed up, like her trainer, and limped over.

Zamazenta braced against her to use as support, _Sister, you need to rest. Your body is not yet healed._

 _There is still much to be done_ , the injured warrior groaned, managing to make it to the small crowd, earning looks of awe from the two newcomers. She collapsed back down to a lying position, though, panting; the effort taking almost all she had. Stubborn. Not unlike Cassandra. The woman chuckled, using Leon as her own crutch of sorts to come over to her Pokémon. She, too, fell, though just as he reached them, alarming her lover and friends.

"It's fine—I'm just... really tired," she groaned, exhaustion sweeping over her, making her dizzy. She didn't remember much before that; just a worried sound from Zamazenta, and then also from Leon and her friends as the ground rushed up at her and the world went dark.

———————————-

**To be continued....**


	18. Aftermath I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we reach the aftermath of the bloodshed. Victory was obtained... but at what cost?

****

**\--------------------------**

Cassandra woke with a groan, feeling like she'd been rammed by a Mamoswine—and like she'd had that kind of

thought before. The lights above were bright, and the white walls of the room didn't make it any better. At least it told her where she was: a hospital. The IV and bed she was in were the next big dead giveaway, and she sighed tiredly. Memory came back soon enough, and she remembered passing out during battle. Being that she _was_ in a hospital and not still on the ground, the city burning down around her, they had succeeded. Barely. Hammerlocke was definitely ruined and would take a long time to repair after all that damage, but they defeated Swordward and Shieldbert.

They'd stopped them.

Somehow.

And with great cost.

The redhead sighed as she tried sitting up, groaning at the ache in her limbs. It reminded her of the day after a hard workout when the lactic acid made even shifting agonizing. The Eternatus energy really had done a number on her, though not so much as Zacian. Her side of the bond was quiet, so she could only hope Leon and the others were taking care of the warrior. She knew Silver would have his Team Rescue do a lot of disaster work, which was their specialty. They brought plenty of Chanceys with them along with other healing types. Sinnoh and Unova had some, too, and she knew she could rely on the Champions to keep things under control. No doubt they'd been working diligently with the Gym Leaders—Raihan, of which, she hoped was alright.

Looking around, she noted her things were there—except her Pokémon. They would have needed a proper Pokécenter to heal after that battle, so she knew they would be in good hands, especially since her old teams all knew Silver, who would visit the ranch, and her team from Galar knew Leon, which meant the others would trust her lover, too. Her pokégear was here, though, and she opened it up to a torrent of messages. Now that her comrades from other regions were around, of course she was getting so many. Most asked if she was doing okay or to feel better. Some were about Arcanine, others about thanking her for her help. It made her eyes water, and she worked hard to wipe away the forming tears.

The door opened, distracting her, and despite the clench in her chest, she smiled at the sight of Leon. There was worry in his eyes, but he managed a small smile back. He carried a bag of food and a backpack over his shoulder. She noted he was wearing the hoodie she bought him. She also not iced how tired he look e when he sat down beside her, putting the bag to the floor and the food on the table next to her. He reached over, taking her hand, and gently rubbed his thumb over the top.

"Hey," he said softly, searching for an answer.

"Hey," she replied, just as soft. "Sorry if I scared you. By passing out, I mean."

"Only a lot... but after what you went through... I'd be shocked if you didn't."

"Still..." she chuckled, wiping her eyes again. She forced the tears back. "So... what happened? After I fainted? Is everyone else alright? Did the others make it okay? Where are they? Gloria? Hop? Lance, Alder—"

"Hold on, hold on! Everyone is _fine_ ,"he chuckled, reaching over to cup her cheek. "All good besides scrapes and bruises. Raihan got a nice new scar, actually, but it could have been worse without your Pokémon and friends. They were exactly what we needed to take out all the Dynamax Pokémon. I think Raihan's considering keeping the ones he borrowed—even if they're not dragons.

He paused to grin when she laughed, and then continued, "Your Pokémon helped other trainers too and were thankfully willing to listen to your friends. Gloria said she got to see some legendaries from Hoenn, and then Hop got to meet a Gym leader, so they're both crazy excited and totally fine. They just crashed hard that night. Your friends are okay, too. They've just been swamped with coordinating the relief efforts. There, ah.... There were lives lost, but all the Gym Leaders got out okay. Hop staying back with Mom right now to keep her sane. Gloria did her part, and she even found Eternatus in the rubble of the castle. Poor thing was exhausted, but in a way that was a blessing. She's pretty sure they won't need to use the lab for him for a long, long time after all the energy that got released."

"Good. That's really good to hear. What happened to Swordward and Shieldbert?" she inquired, although her gut twisted at the notion people died. It was inevitable, but it still hurt.

"Well, we found Shieldbert dead just inside the castle, not far from Eternatus. He'd been crushed by rubble and apparently suffered internal bleeding. His arm was frozen, too, so there was frostbite as well. As for Swordward... He cut his own throat."

" _What?!"_

"We went to arrest him, and he fought back. He somehow got his weapon in the struggle, but he took it to his throat, shouting how we'd never take him alive. It's not the justice Galar or you deserve, but... they'll never bother us again, so that's something," Leon scowled, squeezing her hand. He put his smile back on, though, as he continued, "Zacian is doing fine, by the way. It took a day, but after a good, long nap in the sunshine she perked up. The dark energy from Eternatus is all but gone."

"Goo—wait... a _day_? How many was Iout?!" she balked.

He winced, "Two and a half. You had a lot of us worried, but the doctor assured us you'd be fine—your body just had to recover on its own. And now that you _are_ up, here. Eat this. I only got one meal since I wasn't sure you'd be up, but you need it more than me. Not too much, though. Oh, and I brought clothes for when you _did_ wake up, so you can change into them whenever you're cleared to leave."

"Anyone tell you you're the best boyfriend?" she chuckled, taking the food and pulling out some Pidove strips to snack on. They tasted like heaven.

"Just once. And that's enough for me," he chuckled, leaning forward to kiss her brow. She giggled before chomping another bite a food and then frowned.

"So... Their plan was to make Zacian and Zamazenta crazy?" she half mumbled.

Leon frowned, "It seems like it. It's hard to say what the whole truth was but they seemed to think if they made the warriors go mad and they killed them they'd be labeled heroes? It's crazy to think about and I don't how they thought they'd succeed, the truth got out for a while now and everyone in the public eye thought if them as enemies."

"That's crazy and delusional for you. I guess they just went deranged because things weren't going their way. But how did they do know so much? About Eternatus' and then how'd they make the Dynamax energy go crazy?"

"Honestly? We're still wondering ourselves about the first part. They knew a lot for never being around until now and their family is all but nonexistent. It feels a lot like someone else was had to be helping, but... There's been nothing.

He sighed to rub the back of his neck, "As for the energy... Best we can figure is that they used the wishing stars all over Galar to give the Galarian particles a massive boost which they activated all around the same time. They had more on them when we searched the two, and Sonia found they'd been super charged by Eternatus. It's how it got so bad all around, even outside Dens and the Gyms."

"Arceus. That's crazy. It... How bad did everything get? All over?"

"Not as bad as we thought it would. Your friends came just in the nick of time. It's... There's a lot of repairs to do, but Galar and its people are going to be just fine, so don't worry," he smiles warmly, reaching over to take her hand and squeeze. "Your Pokémon have been worried, by the way, but I'll let them know you're alright. We have them just outside the city in a makeshift 'ranch' like yours back home. Silver helped us set it up based on what he knew, and they seemed to be okay with it after he talked to them. Gloria and her mother took up babysitting while the League does most of the paperwork to get things cleared up. She'll get involved later, but right now it's a bit much for her still. It's pretty messy everywhere, like I said."

"Yeah," she nodded, pausing after eating one strip. Her gaze fell, "Is... how are Tyranitar and Pidgeot? Lanturn and Espeon, too? They... they've been with Arcanine the longest. They knew him as a Growlithe, and... and..."

"They're... um, going to be okay. They're definitely upset, but... they're keeping strong and keeping everyone in line, too. It... I... Here... I wasn't sure if I should yet, but..." he began, rummaging through his jacket pocket to bring out a leather collar with a piece of charcoal embedded in it. "They almost threw it away, not knowing what it was. I made sure to grab it."

Any tears she'd held back before came rushing full force and poured out as she sobbed, taking the collar and pulling it close to her chest. He stood up and embraced her at once, letting her cry as much as she wanted into his chest. He couldn't even imagine what it was like to lose something so dear as your first Pokémon. He didn't know what he'd do if he ever lost Charizard. It might break him. Then again, seeing her crying had already done that. Worse still, he couldn't prevent it. He hadn't been fast enough— _strong_ enough. He couldn't protect her or Arcanine, and she'd been hurt because of it; in a way so deep he wasn't sure how to help her beyond holding her and not letting go. He was too weak to do anything else to help the woman he loved.

"Sorry—I just... he..." she choked, crying less now.

He shook his head, rubbing her arm, "It's fine. Don't apologize. He was your first Pokémon. He's had your back for so long... and he protected you until the end."

"I know... Arceus... I miss him so much already. I don't even know what I'm going to do without him."

"You'll figure it out, and I'll help you however I can... but for now rest, okay? Eat up. I'll be here as long as I'm able."

She looked to him, wiping a fresh tear, "You have to leave?"

"I... Yeah. Unfortunately. Now that you're up I really don't want to. I'd rather to stay here with you until you can be discharged, but... I'm part of the relief efforts and reconstruction. And, well, the region is always a little more at ease seeing my face—especially when Gloria and I work together. Mostly I just make speeches to encourage everyone and go around visiting people to help where I can. I try to do heavy lifting, but I've also been speaking with the League about getting resources here. We've not interacted with other Leagues in so long, and, well, I was Champion for a decade, so I'm a good representative. But I can cut back to stay here. I can make a call real quick and let them know what's going on. I can stay as long as you—."

"No, you need to go," she replied tiredly, and although she was right, he hated her agreeing. He wished she told him to stay. Her smile both warmed him and struck him like a blow. "You're right. Galar needs its champion—even a former one. You were always a symbol of hope, so it's good you're out there. I'll do what I can to help, too, once I get out. I'm sure Lance and Alder want to talk to me."

"Oh, they do," Leon chuckled. "It almost makes me jealous."

"Well, Lance was my first crush," she mused with a sniff, and laughed at the face he made. "When I was a _teenager_. Calm down. You're the only I love now."

"Good, otherwise I'd have a problem with Indigo League right now. Might have to come over and show them what a _real_ Champion can do."

"That would be epic... but you'd have to leave all but Charizard behind. The rest of your team isn't Indigo League sanctioned."

"Eh, Charizard can handle them all. Although, really, I'm just glad to get a laugh out of you right now," he chuckled, sitting down on the bed so he could embrace her better. She leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. He kissed her forehead, "But go ahead and cry when you want. I'm here for you."

"I know, and I'm glad for it. It's... going to be hard. But I have to be strong for my Pokémon. I just... wish I knew how to prepare for this. I thought after N I would know, but... it feels so much worse."

"I wish I knew the answer," Leon spoke softly, his chest clenching. It was hard to watch her break down; even worse than when he'd first held her in his arms during the blizzard. Worse still, he could only hold her and promise she'd get through it, because she _would_. Because that was who she was. Still, he felt useless, and knew he had to make sure to cut down on his work outside the hospital. She needed him just as much as he needed her.

"I'll be fine. Eventually. It's just... it hurts. But I'll be okay. Sorry I keep worrying you."

"Hey, it's my job as the boyfriend. I signed up for it, and I'm not quitting."

"Good, because you're too good of an employee. I'll have to give you a raise after this."

"Just make an official announcement as my girlfriend that's _not_ by the press. That should do it."

"That's _it?_ Didn't I do that already by going on a date?" she smirked, raising a brow with a sniff. She paused, though, scrunching the same brow after a moment. "...Wait, you're just doing it so Lance and everyone else knows, aren't you?"

"Gotta make sure they all know you're off limits," he snickered, kissing her cheek sweetly.

"Oh my Arceus," she just groaned, and although tears would come every so often, his joke allowed her some amount of happiness in their hours together before he had to head out with the promise of a proper meal when he returned. Cassandra watched him go and then collapsed back down onto the bed, Arcanine's collar tight in her grasp. With a final sigh, and a new wave of tears, she allowed herself to sleep and prayed she could get through everything alright.

\----------

When Cassandra woke up again things seemed to pass by in a rapid blur. Leon wasn't with her that time, but a nurse was and explained the extent of her injuries. As her lover as said, she was mostly exhausted beyond scrapes, bruises, and maybe a pulled muscle. They were going to keep her for one more night just in case, being that they didn't know the full effects of Galar particles on the human body. So far so good, though, and she could leave in the morning if she wished—which she did. For now, though, she apparently had some guests waiting for her.

First was Officer Jenny, who needed her testimony. That was easy enough, giving her what details she could from her part of the battle. She didn't exactly have much, but anything before the battle she was able to provide, too. That was more than enough for the officer it seemed, and she left without much fuss and just a simple thanks. After that was another nurse to bring her a simple lunch, and then she was left alone for maybe an hour before familiar faces came knocking.

"Well, well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes, sweetheart," Raihan grinned as he leaned against the door. He had his arm in a sling, and had evidently been at the Hospital, too, considering his hoodie and shorts were replaced with some scrubs he got somewhere. She liked to think he "convinced" some nurse to do him a favor and let him wear something besides a hospital gown. She envied him; she'd kill for proper scrubs right now or just pants in general. She also wouldn't mind the IV out of her arm, even if the fluids were given her essential nutrients for her recovery.

"You're one to talk. Your best asset has a blemish now," she snorted, pointing to his cheek, where a line of stitches ran along the side

"Oh, don't you worry; the ladies will _love_ it once it heals," he purred, plopping down in the chair beside her. "Cynthia told me it was handsome, anyways.

"What? Wait—you met _Cynthia_?" she laughed incredulously.

He winked, "Sure did. She came to my rescue in fact, and I dare say she likes me."

"Uh-huh."

"You doubt the Raihan charm?"

"When it's Cynthia? Yeah, I do. If anything, _you_ like her."

"Pfft. Well, I mean. I'd bang her."

"'Rai! She's a Champion!"

"Yeah? And? She's a beautiful woman. I mean you're a multi-champ, and I'd bang you, too, if you weren't with 'Lee."

"I'm not sure whether to be flattered or not."

"Tsk tsk, don't deny you want me to flirt with you. I'm happy to do so."

"Arceus, help me. If I weren't spoken for, I'd be half tempted to give you a tongue lashing," she snorted.

"You're still welcome to do so. We can get Leon involved, make it a threesome," he winked, leaning forward with a hungry glint in his eyes, and she laughed.

"I don't think we're ready for that, _'love_ '. Don't make me piss off the nurses by given your other cheek a blemish," she snorted, tapping said location lightly.

He playfully "bit" at her finger and chuckled, "Alright, alright. I'll be a good boy. But the offers always there for ya both. For real, though, you got some crazy strong friends. We were able to finally finish off those Dynamax Pokémon with her helping out. Heard your other friends, Alder and Lance. Freaking _Lance_ , man! He's so cool!"

"Wait—are you a _fan_? Since when?" she chortled, brow raised.

"Uh, since forever. I was totally jealous when you mentioned you knew him. You know his outfit is based on this Gym? He met the old man before me who took me on and got inspired. He's one of the greats of Dragon trainers. Of _course_ I'm a fan," he snickered.

"Where was the fangirling before when I told you he was my first crush?"

"Wasn't the right time. We were having a heart-to-heart; I couldn't very well start gushing. Now, though? Oh, I am all about gushing about my idol."

"Oh my Arceus, you're such a dork."

"You love it."

"A little," she laughed, shaking her head. A silence came over them as the chuckled faded, her mind flicking to the battle before. She looked up to him, meeting his gaze. His cyan eyes betrayed little, but she could, at the very least, tell his smile wasn't totally sincere. She couldn't entirely read him, but the falter in his smile worried her. She looked down, gasping at her bed sheets as she swallowed slowly, "I, ah... I'm sorry. About Hammerlocke."

"We'll live. Rebuild," he shrugged, but his eyes were downcast.

"Still... this is your home, 'Rai. And they tried to destroy it... They basically _did._ "

"But we stopped them. Mostly," he added, the last word a bit harsh. He sighed, shrugging and waving his good hand. "Looks, it's fine, love. Considering what we were up against, we did pretty damn good. I owe you a thanks for that, too—your Pokémon really helped give the extra edge and helped get bystanders out of the way until your backup arrived. Cynthia and me wiped the floor with them then."

"I can tell it's eating you, though."

"Tsk. 'Course it is. All of us Leaders are pissed seeing our Gyms get wrecked, and I had my whole city. People died because I wasn't strong enough or fast enough to get to them. I wasn't even smart enough to tell the Kings were doing shit right under my nose. But that ain't why I came. I didn't come here to just gripe and cry about what I couldn't do and how I failed my city and people," he grunted, shifting in his seat. He met her gaze firmly, "I'm here to see how my friend is. You were hurt bad and passed out and everyone was thinking the worst since Lee was going _bonkers_ like you'd died."

Cassandra blushed, "Wait— _what_."

"Yeeeeah, the idiot was freaking out by the time I caught up with you lot, and it was only that Silver friend-guy of yours that knocked some sense into him. Lance put Lee to work, too, since he had Zamazenta. They let me keep an eye on ya on the account I busted my shoulder some, and that seemed to make him okay enough to help out."

"Arceus help me. Should I be worried about having him for a boyfriend?" she chuckled, shaking her head.

"Nah, he's just excited to have a girlfriend, so don't go breaking his heart," Raihan winked before leaning forward. "For real, though—you alright?"

"Aah..." she sighed, leaning back again. "No. But also, yes? I don't know. I'm tired. My body is sore, and I just... hurt. I lost Arcanine."

"...Leon told me," he replied softly, eyes downcast. "I'm sorry, 'Cas."

"Thanks," she said quickly, eyes watering again. She pushed it back, biting her tongue in hopes pain might work. It did a little. "Are _you_ going to be okay? Really?"

"Yeah. My pride was hurt more than anything. The city is under my protection, and I didn't even notice those sons of bitches using Wishing Stars all over the place. It's a damned miracle there's anything left, and the actual death toll isn't that high. Plenty injured, but the dead are below one hundred. I'd rather it be _zero_. But...

He paused to sigh, "Like I said: we can rebuild. So, there's that. Hammerlocke will rise back up even stronger. Thanks to you."

"I didn't—" she began to scoff, but he raised a hand to cut her off.

"'Cas, come on, don't try and downplay things. Without you, 'Lee would be dead, we wouldn't have Zacian or Zamazenta. Hop and Gloria would still be kidnapped. We _definitely_ wouldn't have the other Leagues here to help us if not for you. Instead, we'd be under the boot of those bastards. So, take my thanks and keep it, 'Cas because without _you_ we wouldn't be here right now. I owe you a lot. Everything, even. All of Galar does, really, so don't go one second thinking you don't deserve all the thanks you're getting and that you're not a hero," he explained, and she wasn't sure what to make of the anxious knot in her stomach. Hero? The word just felt like a punch to the gut.

Still, she cracked a smile, "Okay. You drive a hard bargain, but I'll accept your thanks."

Raihan chuckled, "The press is going to be _all_ over you, by the way. Already heard people talking about how, not only did a foreign Champion steal the heart of our former Champ, she tamed the legendary Sword Pokémon, and bravely stood by Leon's side to fight the bad guys and brought one damned fine cavalry with her. 'United the Leagues' they'll say. It's gonna be a heck of a headline just for the fact we have so many foreign guests who are famous. Galar's never gotten so many and kept mostly out of the loop, but I'd say that's about to change. And you n' Leon are gonna be the main headline about it, I guarantee it. So, y'know. _Heads up_."

Cassandra gave a good chuckle, although she wasn't quite sure how she felt about it. In some ways, she almost felt she was happy they were glad she was here and lauding her efforts. At the same time, she was nervous. Very nervous. She was so used to being out of the lime-light when dangerous things like the Kings went down; letting the League handle the press and giving someone else the credit. Here, though, she was known as a key player by many—all of Galar, apparently. There'd be no hiding from it. The crowd knew her and would want to see her; one of their many "Heroes" this terrible battle.

She didn't feel like a hero.

At all.

She'd not been heroic at the end of things, succumbing to her hatred and anger—just like before. Just like with Ghetis, she'd loathed Swordward for taking her dearest friend from her. Again, she'd lost someone she loved, and she could do nothing to save them. Again, the blood stained her hands and she wouldn't be able to wash it away. She'd kept herself from falling totally into the dark abyss that came with killing a person with their own hands, but that didn't save her from falling from grace. Heroes didn't do what she did after all. They didn't want to kill. They didn't want to hate. They didn't lose their best friend. Victory didn't feel hollow to heroes, either.

"You don't look happy about it, and I don't think because of the press," Raihan hummed, and she realized he was watching. She didn't bother to hide it, a weak smile on her face.

"I still don't, um... feel like I deserve the praise."

"Yeah, me, too," he grunted, earning a look of surprise. He forced a grin, "Seems to be a common thing among all of us these days, eh? Guess we just have to buck up and keep working hard until we do."

"...Yeah, I guess so," she chuckled, knowing he was right. It was all they could do really. She paused, a thought coming to mind. "...Is Leon the same? Has he said anything? I know he won't tell me—not right now. He's too worried about me."

"He told me not to tell you, but... yeah. He's hurting extra 'cause he feels he didn't and _couldn't_ protect you. He's always been the guy that wanted to take care of everyone. He would always put himself in the line of fire to protect his friends and the people of Galar once he became Champion. I wasn't there for it, but Gloria told me one time how he protected them against Eternatus when Rose unleashed it. Even then, when he knew he could get badly hurt, he sent Charizard to protect Hop and Gloria while he took the full blast. Idiot was in the hospital for _days_ , but he told me he'd do again and every time. He'd an idiot like that, y'know? Him and you _both_ , apparently. Always putting everyone's safety first, throwing yourself into the fray to protect 'em," Raihan scoffed, both smiling and then scowling.

He paused to look at her, "And now he's got _you_ , someone he cares about in a way he hasn't before. It's a whole new thing and Arceus knows a man like that is going to do everything he can to keep his woman safe. So... I know it's a lot to ask, but... try and make it easy on him, alright? Let him know he didn't fuck up. That it's not his fault, and don't leave his side. I'm askin' as a friend."

Cassandra met his gaze for a good long while, before she nodded, "I won't. I promise."

"And you take it easy on _yourself_ , alright, love? Nothing that happened was your fault. You did everything you could to help us and fought bravely, and you sacrificed for us, too... Ah... I'm sorry about what happened, y'know. To your Arcanine..."

"Yeah, thanks," she replied, forcing her smile again.

"I haven't lost anyone before, so I can't say how it is, but... remember you're not alone, 'Cas. You got your friends from back home here now. Better still, you got friends here in Galar, too, so you can rely on us. You can rely on _me_ , too.I consider you a good friend now, and I think you do the same, so... you don't need to shoulder it on your own."

The redhead looked to the young man, his cyan eyes watching her intensely. She could see why people were so drawn to him, especially now. His words carried meaning thanks to his presence alone, and his confidence made her believe him. He was her friend, wasn't he? Just like the ones who had come all the way from Johto and Kanto and Sinnoh and Unova. They'd all come because they were her friends—and because she wasn't alone. Even here she had Raihan now, and Hop and Gloria, and most importantly Leon.

She chuckled, her smile a bit more genuine now, "I'll try. No promises, though."

"Pfft. You will. I'll just sic 'Lee on ya if you don't. He won't let you get away with it."

"No fair—using my boyfriend like that. I might have to break up with him."

"Yeah right!" Raihan laughed, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "You like him too much for that."

"...Dammit you know me too well already."

"Gotta know my best bud's girlfriend, or I ain't a best bud—and rival," he winked, earning another chuckle. He reached over to take her hand and squeeze. "For real, though, 'Cas. I meant it. Everything. I especially meant it when I say _thank-you_. That's as not only Hammerlocke's leader, but as your friend, too. I'm glad you came here, and I'm double glad I got to meet ya."

"Same," she grinned, squeezing back. "Even if you are a tad insufferable."

"Aw, hush, I know you love it. Bet if I found ya first, you'd be all up in this dragon boy like you are Leon," he smirked, toothy canine flashing.

She laughed, "Maybe! You're not _all_ bad, I suppose. Maybe in another life. I'm all Leon's this one."

"And he's a lucky guy for it. So. You gonna be good now, love?" he smiled more gently this time. His hand felt warm.

"Yeah. For now, anyways. I'm sure Leon's services will be needed later."

He laughed as he stood up, "Ha! I'll make sure to send him your way then, especially 'cause I gotta get heading out soon—the League has been bugging me about repairs and other official boring business stuff. I'd rather play hookie with ya, buuuut..."

"You gotta go. So, get going. I'll be here until tomorrow."

"I'll be sure to visit—probably when Leon's around so I can make him jealous for ya. He's a riot when he is."

"Yes, I _know_ ," she snorted, shooting him a quick glare. "I'll have you know I am _happily_ spoken for by him and don't even think you're that hot."

"But you still think I'm hot, though?" he smirked, tilting his head slightly.

"Oh, shut up, and go—your city needs you," Cassandra laughed, gesturing for him to go. She paused, however, grinning suddenly, "But do stop by—I wouldn't mind hearing those tips you gave to Leon, and who knows. Maybe we'll try to _spice_ things up one night."

Raihan blinked, confused at first, but then laughed loudly as he waltzed off with a promise that he would _definitely_ come by for sure now. As he went, another figure lingered by the door, but not a nurse. She blinked, at first not believing it was who she thought it was, but then smiled softly.

She called out, "Silver."

"Ugh, don't say it like _that_. You sound like you actually like me," the young man grunted, slipping through the door to take Raihan's spot. "You're _welcome_ , by the way, for waiting for you to finish flirting with that friend of yours."

"Silver, please. I do have a boyfriend now."

"So, he keeps _telling me."_

Cassandra narrowed her eyes, "...Huh?"

"That obnoxious oaf of yours kept making it _very_ clear when I was trying to get you somewhere safe and he was needed elsewhere. He had the audacity to act _jealous_ as if I would ever consider you in such a way. Preposterous."

"Yes, _thank-you, Silver_ ," she hummed dryly. "I'm very aware you only like me as a fiend. That's been established since I punched you back when you were still a snotty brat. Finally got me back for that, huh?"

"And you were an obnoxious girl who kept getting in my way. But I digress; That was hardly payback. I barely even slapped you," he snorted. Her slightly swollen cheek said otherwise, but she held back her brow from rising. "But it worked, so there's that. You were out of your mind back there, you know."

"I know, which is why I'm glad you were there—that, and for coming when you did. We'd be sitting Farfetch'd without you."

"Team Rescue is obligated to help those in need, even if they're overseas, and even when friends who are terrible friends call to do so," he replied with a "mmhmm" expression that made her look away sheepishly. He sighed after a few moments and leaned forward onto the bed to take hold of her hand. She met his eyes, which, to her surprise, held worry. He rarely, if ever, had anything more than a stern or annoyed look. It made her gut twist, realizing just how badly she'd cut him. He his voice was gentler than she expected when he spoke again, "Did you really have to wait so longto contact me, 'Cas? Or better yet our _parents_? They called me a few times, you know, worried about you. They'd hoped you spoken to me about what happened in Unova, and then later when you suddenly left. I had to tell them the truth. They didn't get too upset _visibly,_ but... you and I both know they were. It's where you got that trait from."

"Arceus," she winced, and then sighed, rubbing her face with her other hand. "Silver, I... I'm sorry. I just... it was bad. For me. I couldn't handle what happened. I didn't know how to, and I didn't know to say it. I couldn't stand the looks, though; everyone wanted to know what happened. I know they just wanted to help, I do, but... I couldn't. It was too much. I had to get away from everyone—everything."

"So, you ran to here?"

"It... felt far enough away," she practically whispered, gaze falling.

He sighed, "I suppose it's not a bad place. I suppose it ended up being a good thing considering how things have turned out. But you didn't have to run off without saying a word other than a 'don't worry' note! That does the exact opposite, you idiot!"

She flinched, "I—I know... I... what I did was terrible to Mom and Dad... and to you, too. I should have told you where I was going at least."

" _Yes_ , you should have, but what's done is done. I suppose at this point as long as you realize the error it's something. Just don't _ever_ do it again. I was worried sick, you know. I even thought maybe one of the organizations you took down came back for revenge of something! Arceus knows Rocket tried with me."

"Aww, you do care," she smirked, then laughed at his expression. "No, but, really, Silver. I'm lucky to have you as a friend. For all the shit you give me, I know you mean well, and I wouldn't be where I am today with you."

"Well, we _are_ friends. Somehow. Although, really, my Pokémon were just upset they hadn't gotten to see yours in such a long time."

"Is that so?" she snickered, shaking her head. Despite his harsh tone, Silver _did_ mean well. It was just his abrasive attitude. Most were put off by it, but after all the time they'd spent together, she'd learn to see through it. Most everyone in his organization did, too. He was a good man, deserving of any praise he and his team received. She was, indeed, lucky to call him friend—especially because he was willing to slap her around when things got rough.

"Will you be coming home then?" he asked, breaking he stupor. She opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it.

"I'm... not sure. I know I _need_ to, but..."

"You will need to stay here for a bit, I imagine, to settle affairs, but you need to come home, Cassandra. You owe it to our parents—and your Pokémon. You've left them for a long time. Do you know how ballistic they went knowing they'd get to see you? Your mother wanted to come charging in, too, but you father thankfully had enough sense to realize it was beyond their capabilities. I'm only so glad they trust my word."

"That's because you're practically family at this point. My mom accepted you the first time you came to visit. You're right, though. I know you're right. I need to go home. I need to talk to them. I need to talk to my Pokémon. I... I need to do a _lot_ of things to be honest," she groaned, pushing her face into her hand and then through her hair. She glanced to Silver meekly, "How... how are they? My parents?"

"They're doing well enough. Worried, for sure. But mostly they miss you. They're still not sure why you left. None of us are, to be honest, besides Alder it seems. Frankly, it'd be nice to be in the loop and know myself," he semi-scoffed, eyes rolling, but then his expression softened. "But I don't expect you to say anything. Not yet, anyways. I know you better than most, after all, so I know you wouldn't go running off without some good reason. But you hurt people who deserve to know what happened."

"You're right. Again," she sighed, flopping back into her pillow. "I already told Leon, so... I guess it's time to tell everyone else, too—eventually. I need to go back and deal with what happened before that. On my own. Properly."

"Fair enough... but know I'll hold you to that now. Especially because you told someone you met a _month_ ago first," he ground out, and despite her somber mood she let out a laugh.

"He got me at the right time. And, well, what can I say? He's my boyfriend."

"And if he reminds me _one more time,_ I might throttle him. For Arceus' sake, not only would I never see you that way, I have a fiancé! I've even been wearing my ring!"

"Wait—what?" she guffawed, and he held up his hand, showing off the band in the same color as his name. "Whaaaaaaaat?! Who!?"

"One of my executives. She's stood with me since I took on rebuilding Team Rocket. You probably don't know her, but you'd like her. The point is, though, get your lover boy to _calm down_ or Feraligator will make him."

"Oh, for the love of... okay, I'll talk to him. He's... new to the boyfriend thing, although I'm not much better to be honest," she sighed, pinching her brow. " _Please_ be nice to him, Silver. Okay? I told him how you're my best friend, and I'd like you two to get along."

"Well, at least he _was_ a Champion, so I know he's strong. He does have a Legendary, too, so he must have some worth to him."

"...And that's all you find redeeming?"

Silver rolled his eyes "I'll give him time to change my mind, alright?"

"I _guess_ that will do," Cassandra groaned. "How are we family again?"

"Arceus knows, but here we are," the ruby-haired man shrugged. He paused, recalling something, "By the way, the other Champions will want to talk with you as well. Lance and Alder are both busy helping the city, while Cynthia is handling the refugee work with me, and then Steven from Hoenn is using his company resources to provide food and shelter and keeping it all funded--diplomatic work while his Pokemon do labor. We've been working with all the Gym Leaders well enough, which apparently makes us the media darlings. These reporters are like Remoraid on a Mantine."

"Oh, boy. You're going to love learning about how they run things here."

"I doubt it. Anyways, you need to call Mom and Dad."

"Are you sure you're not my mom at this point?" she snickered. "But I will. I need to get a video phone soon, I guess. My pokégear won't cut it."

"Oh, no need; you can just use mine. I texted them, so they're calling now," he hummed, pulling his vibrating phone from his pocket. The redhead balked, eyes wide. Before she could protest, he accepted the call, and the video screen flared to life.

A ginger-haired, middle-aged woman gasped, hazel eyes wide, " _Cassandra_! _My baby! Cassy! Ooooh! Oh! Oh, oh_ — _Henry! Hurry! It's Cassy! She's on the phone! I told you Silver would help us! He's such a good boy! Oh, my goodness, hurry, you lazy man! Hurry, hurry!"_

"Oh boy. You better head out now," she groaned to her friend, who just smirked back as her father's voice echoed from off screen, begging his wife to calm down, as he'd be there shortly.

"Just return the phone later. See you 'round, 'Cas. It'll be nice to have you back home again," he spoke before standing and leaving her just as her father came into view. He looked older than before, like he'd aged more than the few years she'd been gone. New wrinkles around his blue eyes, and he had reading glasses she didn't remember him wearing before. Her mother was better, but she could see she'd been stressed, too. She really had hurt them, hadn't she? And yet, there they were, just so happy and excited to see her.

It made her eyes tear up and she let out a sob. It was short and sweet, and her mom teared up with her.

_"Oh, sweetie. It's so good to see you. We missed you so much."_

_"It's good to see you, 'Cassy girl. Although, you're not exactly making us feel to good when you're in a hospital bed,"_ her father chuckled, holding his wife close as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"Aaah, yeah. I just passed out from exhaustion is all. We had a rough time here—in Galar, sorry. I'm pretty far from home right now."

 _"Oh my, that_ is _far! Even farther than Unova, I think! What in Arceus' name made you go_ there _?"_ her mother huffed.

She chuckled, "Sometimes, I'm not sure, but... it's good thing I did, to be honest. A lot has happened. I made some new friends, both human and Pokémon—you'll _love_ the three new guys I got here for my team. You'll love meeting the people, too. But, um, before that I... ah... Mom... Dad... I'm sorry. I... Sorry. About worrying you guys. I... I know I left... and I shouldn't have... I just..."

 _"It's okay, 'Cas,"_ her father spoke up, his smile gentle and full of love. _"We understand. We wish you'd talked to us... but you're talking now, and that's what matters. It's more than enough for right now. Just know we'll always be here when you want to talk about everything. Just... come home soon, alright? It's been a while since we all sat down and had a meal together_ — _like the old days."_

Cassandra didn't know when it started, but tears streamed down her face. She sobbed, dropping the phone to her lap, wiping at her face in vain. All the fears and anxieties of the years came unraveled, and the sheer relief from the release of pressure kept the tears coming. Her parents let her go on; let her release it all until she was a pitiful mess of red eyes and a runny nose. Her mother had tears of her own, and her dad would have, too, were he made of a different cloth. He was the stalwart type, though, and so kept his smile bright and shining for her when she finally brought the phone back up again.

"I'm sorry. I promise to come home—as soon as I finish up a lot of things I haven't yet. I... So much happened. There are things I can't... I _don't_ want to say yet. But... there's been a lot of good, too. I made some good friends here in Galar like I said, and, um," she started, faltering as her thoughts flickered to a certain someone. "I, uh... may have... _met_ someone."

Her mom's squeal of excitement could be heard all the way out in the hall, and Cassandra didn't know it then, but it was going to be a long, long day of explaining absolutely anything and everything about Leon to her mother, who had waited a lifetime for this day. Her father, of course, sat down to the side, enjoying a cup of tea, and adding his input every now and then. Regardless of what it was, she was just happy to talk with them again; to hear their voices and see their loving faces. She'd once thought they'd be so disappointed, and yet, here they were, so bright and joyful.

Maybe she could do this, then.

At least, that's what she thought until Leon popped in suddenly free of work.

"Hey, babe, I'm back. I was able to get away from things, and I brought some muffins from the cafe, if you feel up to eating?" he inquired as he set the brown back down beside her and placed a kiss on her cheek. He glanced down to the phone, curious as to who she was talking to and how she got the phone in the first place. He had to pause, though, blinking at the sight of the two middle-aged people, one of which looked exceedingly similar to his girlfriend. He gestured, "So, uh... who are they? Family or something?"

She let out a laugh, "Allow me to introduce you to Henry and Alicia. They're my parents."

The purple-haired man took a second to register the words and then gasped, face lighting up. He grasped the phone in his hand, holding it out so he could wave as he settled down beside the hospital bed.

"Hi! It's great to meet you! I'm Leon! Cassandra's boyfriend!" he beamed, not the least bit shy. Cassandra could only laugh.

Her mother's squeals, however, could be heard not only down the hall this time, but across all of Galar.

If one thing was certain, it was going to be a long, long embarrassing day for her and the man she loved and was forever grateful to have in her life, who was all too happy to meet her parents.

**\--------------------**

****TMWolf:** ** _So this was fun to write, especially with Raihan. Wanted explore a bit of another side with him, too, and show their friendship a little more, too. Also, sex jokes lmao Although for one anyone who follows my social media you know I've got a poly with Raihan in it now sooo..... this is where it kinda starts ahahaha xD The jokes._

_Anyways, wanted to show some of her relationship with Silver, too, after a decade of being friends. He's basically family and her parents are happy to have him over, something he actually appreciates deep down because his own family was a hot mess and he never really had that wholesome kind of family scene._

_Also, Leon is the best, most goofiest bf fight me_ _ᕦ_ _(_ _ò_ ___ _óˇ_ _)_ _ᕤ_ _He's any parents' dream and will make sure your daughter is home before 10... after showing her a CHAMPION time of course ;)_

_*scuttles away*_


	19. Aftermath II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part two of the aftermath! It's the last chapter before the epilogue!
> 
> Thanks to everyone who had read, given kudos, and left comments. I really appreciate you guys <3

_**** _

_**\---------------------------------** _

_A week or so later..._

The meeting between Gym Leaders, foreign associates, and Galar League admins had been a long and arduous one, but the party after was amazing—and just what everyone needed. Thought victory had been won, the tension and weight of things was still there as everyone worked to begin repairing cities all over the country, Hammerlocke hit the hardest. Rubble took days to be cleared, as did finding all the injured and the bodies of the dead. It was a long, arduous process that made that weight feel even heavier for everyone, but especially the leaders of the region, who felt the most responsible, despite not having been the ones to wrought such chaos. Though they had stopped further loss, it never felt enough, and it had become apparent in the meeting to discuss progress.

For all the dour mood the tallies of damage and death made, there was at least some relief in knowing they had saved the region and could now recover. It wasn't going to be easy, but there was another boon in that the foreign Leagues had all offered their continued support even when they had to leave, and even Silver and his Team Rescue were considering setting up a temporary base to begin training units for Galar. It was something all Leaders and the Champion agreed upon and determined to be good, so that was yet perhaps another small hopeful thing in such a still dark time. The party after was the other boon, a small get together for everyone to meet and greet and relax where they hadn't been able to before beyond helping one another in rescue and recovery. Finger food and drinks were provided in a gallery room, lit with extravagant lights in a tower in Hammerlock which an incredible view, and wonderful company.

Already Cassandra could see the groups forming. Most of the Galarian Gym Leaders were keeping together, although she herself had found some comradery with Nessa, Kabu, and even Gordie. The Motostoke Gym Leader had come up to discuss their homeland and to then be introduced to May and Brendan, who were both powerful Champions sent at Steven's behest. Their legendary Pokémon Groudon and Kyogre were also topics of conversation, as the two had, together, stopped the weather-changing chaos that occurred years ago. Nessa had been kind as ever, although she could have a biting wit, but she sweet in her own way. She was _quite_ interested in her and Leon's relationship, if only for the gossip, but she offered her thanks for her help in the end—especially for Raihan, who she considered a close friend. Gordie was much the same, thanking her properly after her help in his Stadium; glad to have it still standing in one piece. He joked his mother would have frozen him solid otherwise before he wandered off to speak with someone else.

The redhead took the time to note the other groups, such as Lance, Cynthia, and Raihan who was star-struck by the Johto Champion, but also lingered ever-close to the blonde-haired woman, who looked rather amused. She supposed she was glad for it; better the Sinnoh Champion find him funny than obnoxious, although Cassandra knew it would just be a flirtatious engagement, nothing more. Steven and Wallace, like-wise, were now hitting it off with Nessa, Milo, and Kabu of all things, although, then again, Wallace was a contest celebrity of model caliber and Nessa _was_ a model and both were water types, so it made sense. Both were from Hoenn, too, so she could see why the Motostoke Gym Leader wished to speak to them and was well engaged with the former Champion. Whatever the case, it was fun to watch, and it was good to see the Galarians getting along with her associates. Even Silver was engaging in conversation, and it looked as though he was being well-received despite his biting demeanor. He'd spared her some words earlier, though mostly to come "rescue" him from the "prattle" when it got too much. Based on the fact he was still talking readily, Cassandra was pretty sure she wouldn't need to save her friend tonight. He might even find some new friends in Hop and Gloria, whom were gushing over his Team Rescue—a sure-way to get on his good side.

She snickered at that, glancing to where Leon spoke with some Macro Cosmos members and League officials. He wore his formal attire, which made him look that much more noble. He was chatting with Alder, of all things, along with Opal and Milo. It was an odd group, but she was glad to see them all getting along. Even Bea and Allister were enjoying the company of others, including Volkner. She hadn't expected him to show here, but it was good to speak with him again after all these years. He expressed some desire to return to fight the trainers of the region, if only for inspiration for his Gym back home. He apparently had since learned about the "activities" here and found them fascinating. Cassandra only hoped Sinnoh would survive his antics.

Sighing softly, Cassandra set her empty champagne glass on the table and ventured out towards one of the many balconies. The music dulled down to a soft melody as she breached into the cooler night air. It felt good, though did little to settle her thoughts as she gazed out at the recovering city. One she couldn't fully protect. Yet, she had done her best, and that was what mattered. At least, that was what she kept trying to tell herself, as did Leon and Raihan, and many others who knew her well enough to tell she was thinking about it. She _was_ truly trying, and in some cases, it worked, but there were many nights, even in Leon's arms, her thoughts grew somber—especially when Arcanine came to mind.

Her eyes stung, but she wiped away any tears and forced a smile. She tried to think of better things instead; of the good times they had—of the memories she should focus on, rather than his loss.

"You're looking better than I last saw you."

Cassandra chuckled as the proclaimed "Dragon Master" of the Indigo League approached and embraced him. It was good to see him properly and not just in the small spurts they were able to meet over the last few days and at the party. He had been a friend since she first started out back home, and she owed Lance a lot to the Champion she'd become. Not only did he join forces to stop Rocket but had encouraged her all along her journey. She couldn't begin to describe the joy and excitement of beating him; hearing the pride in his voice and the admiration in his eyes when she won. He'd been much younger then, though, as had she. Now, they were older, hopefully a bit wiser, and still good friends. Any love she had was now platonic, as it had always been on his end—as it should be, she'd come to realize years ago.

"I.... feel better. Mostly, anyways. Not always, but... I guess that's expected. It's going to take some more time to really be okay still, but I'll get there. Thank-you for coming, by the way. I haven't thanked you properly. I don't know or want to know what would have happened if you guys hadn't made it in time," she chuckled as she looked out onto the city, the balcony view perfect for it.

Much of the debris had been cleared away from the streets of Hammerlocke, though enough remained for plenty of work to still be done. That wasn't including the many repairs, countless homes and buildings for industrial, markets, and administration damaged in the fight that felt like it had gone on just yesterday. As it stood now, they could finally begin rebuilding where enough debris had been cleared, but even that was slow going. The physical labor itself was going to take time, and the legal work behind it and how to procure resources for both the building part and humanitarian would also be time-consuming. At this point, though, the people were probably used to it. This party was, in the end, more-so a respite for them after nearly a full week of constant work. For them, anyways.

For her, though, it had only been a few days of it, being that she left the hospital halfway into the week of work, and for some of that she spent reuniting with her Pokémon. That, of course, had been an ordeal in itself, including lots of over-crowding around her. Naturally, she made sure to tend to each and every one of them, and soon realized how much she'd missed them. Realizing one was missing, though, had been a rough patch. She tried to consider it a better light—that she could have lost _all_ of them, and not just one, but that didn't stop the tears. She wanted to be stronger for her Pokémon, but they comforted her none the less, and she did what she could to take solace seeing those still with her alive and well—including Zacian, who looked as healthy as when they first met.

Cassandra couldn't bring herself to approach the legendary warrior at first, feeling unworthy of doing so, and so it was Zacian who made the first move. She assured the redhead she held no blame nor would the Pokémon place it upon her. Despite everything, she still wanted the young woman by her side, as her Chosen, and for that Cassandra was eternally relieved and grateful.

It had been hard to leave them after that, but she couldn't stay too long with League matters calling, and only took Pidgeot to fly back to town. She'd be back, of course, when things settled down, but for the time being she would let them get the rest they needed under the watchful eye of Gloria and her mother, and time to get to know their new Galarian friends. She was going to be busy, anyways, speaking with the League about what happened and seeing how things were going or how she could help. Her testimony already given, talk turned mostly to what aid she had available. As it stood, she would utilize on her stronger Pokémon—Aggron, Tyranitar, and Garchomp, and also her psychic types to help with debris, while other smaller one with keen senses like her Boltund or Luxray would continue to help with rescue, finding those lost in the rubble. Others like Lapras or Lanturn and even Froslass could help with humanitarian efforts and support. The rest would be distributed as needed, and she was happy to oblige.

The Indigo Champion hummed, looking out at the slowly recovering city, "Well, I don't think we'd be talking right now for one thing. I'm just glad we were able to help. I admit, I was shocked when you called out of the blue like that—and even more so that you got yourself involved in danger. _Again_ , might I add _._ I think the last time it was this scale was..."

"Sinnoh—with Cyrus. Although, he could have destroyed the world. But Galar is these peoples' world, so I guess you could say it's the same," she chuckled, leaning forward onto the railing. She looked to her long-time friend, "How're things back home? It's... been a while."

"Yes, it has. Longer still since we saw each other. But... it's been good. Team Rescue makes sure any problems are dealt with smoothly and with the least amount of injuries. Silver is quite the leader. Lugia and Oh-ho are at peace still, and the three beasts roam as they always have since you woke them up. They still garner lots of attention when they come by, too—especially Suicine. Everyone loves gossiping about how they, especially, are ' _uncatchable'_."

"Oh, really? I wouldn't know anything about that," she snickered, not bothering to hold her grin back. "Any new Champions lately?"

"Just a few over the years. Can't help feeling like trainers don't work as hard as they used to—not like in your day, or Red and Blue's. I think it's this modernizing era. Battling just isn't as important anymore," he sighed, rubbing the back of his nape.

She regarded him a moment, "You going to retire finally?"

"Mmm maybe? Clair is plenty ready to take my place—her dragons have become very powerful and she's even branched her types out. I know she thinks she's not there yet, but she is. Swear she's so stubborn."

"Well, you _are_ related."

He laughed, "My mother and Uncle were quite alike—both famous for their stubbornness. Seems we inherited it. But, still... I'm in my thirties and I've been serving as Champion since I was _sixteen_. I think it's time I got a bit more out of life. There's a lot I haven't done yet, and there's no Team Rocket to trash these days, so..."

"Well, let me know when the party is so I can come give you a proper gift. Shall I ask Raihan to send a Pokémon? I saw you two chatting it up earlier," she smirked, earning another laugh.

"He is a rambunctious one! But he's got the right kind of will to tame dragon. He's even as tall as one!" Lance laughed, which she shared. "He reminds me of Clair when she was younger—full of vigor and eager to learn all about dragons. His _are_ fascinating, although he says the same about mine! He keeps asking if they know weather-changing moves for some reason. But, yes, I wouldn't mind a foreign dragon—assuming the League allows it."

"If you give up your spot as Champion and go traveling it should be fine," she smirked, and laughed at the reluctance in his features. Despite his admission, it was still hard to give up everything he'd done for so long. She waved her hand, "Anyways, thanks again for your help—both the fight and recovery. How long until you have to head back?"

"Another week, and the Indigo League says I need to return with the others, although Team Rescue has clearance to stay longer since they aren't a League organization. I _do_ need to go back, though. I still have duties as Champion, although my absence is for good reason. I'm sure the news about this place has spread back to home by now, so even the trainers waiting to fight the Elite Four shouldn't be too upset. If anything, they might be excited knowing their homeland helped save another," Lanced shrugged, then looked to her. "What about you? You've been gone from home for an awfully long time, 'Cas."

"I know. But I... I still have some things to do," she replied, a small smile on her face. He touched her shoulder gently.

"I understand. When you come back, let me know. It's been too long since we sat down to chat over a bottle of sake. I wouldn't mind a battle against your new Pokémon, either."

"I look forward to it, my friend."

He smirked suddenly, "Oh, and, do invite your ' _boyfriend'_ , as he seems to enjoy proclaiming whenever he can. I'd like to get a proper idea of what a Galar Champion is like."

"He—wait—he's _what_?! Uuuuuuugh, that man," she groaned, shoving her face into her hands.

"Oh, come now; he's a good match for you. I haven't seen you so jovial in a long time. I'm happy for you. So, again, do bring him along. Until then, though, I wish you the best, and I'm always here if you need me."

"Same to you, Lance—for real this time. I'll get my phone upgraded to talk long distance. Leon keeps bugging me to upgrade anyways," she snickered, which he returned, and then he was gone, mingling with the crowd once more. She imagined Raihan would find the Dragon Master soon enough and indulge in talk about their favored type again. Their budding friendship was a funny one. She was sure the Indigo Champions' nephews and nieces would love to hear about it--and see the new dragon types.

The redhead's eyes focused on another figure coming close, and she had to take a sharp breath. She knew this talk had been coming, but it still felt too soon despite all her work to build herself up for it. She couldn't keep the twist in her stomach as the Unova Champion approached, clad in his traditional Unova garbs, although his hair was a bit tamer today. He looked older than she remembered, despite it only being a few years. It must have been hard on him, dealing with the aftermath of her running away.

"Hello, Cassandra. I'm glad to see you're better—if only in body," he smiled warmly, holding out his hand. She took it firmly, and he returned the strength in a good shake.

"Yeah. It's going to be tough."

"I won't tell you it stops hurting. It never does. Even now, I grieve for my Larvesta, but... it does get easier. Your Pokémon will help you stay strong—as will your friends. So, hold onto them."

She smiled sadly, "Don't worry—I'm not going to run this time."

He winced a little, "Ah, I didn't mean for it to sound that way—you know I don't blame you for before."

"I know. Really, I do. I just... I know I shouldn't have just left like that. I was too scared and hurt to face things, so I ran away and came here. But... I know the truth now; I can't run from my fears and failures anymore."

"You'll come back to challenge me then?" Alder smiled, eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Eventually, yes," she snickered. "Galar still needs help recovering, but after that's done... Yeah, I'll come back. Reshiram misses me, after all, right?"

"Indeed they do. I think they will be glad to see you now that you see the truth. Although, I'm not Champion anymore. Iris took my place after you left."

Cassandra balked, "What? _Really_? I admit, I'm shocked. And a bit sad I won't get to fight you in the end."

He laughed, "Oh, you still can—and _will_. I plan to retire in my hometown, so just come find me."

"Floccesy?"

"The very one. I'm tired, though, and I've done my part. I'm ready to live the rest of my life peacefully with my Pokémon... but I'll be happy to help you finish what you started. Although, to become a proper Champion you'll need to re-fight the entire League. Even _you_ can't skip the rules."

"Oh, I didn't expect them to let me. I still remember very clearly how much the Unova League loathes me over the 'flood of paperwork' I gave them when I left suddenly."

"Well, you did forget to give them notice you were taking Unova region Pokémon to Johto, which still had a Pokérus problem."

She winced, "Right... Well, I'll manage. My team is still strong and ready. With some training, I can finish things. Although, it'll be harder without Arcanine. He was my only fire-type all this time."

"Oh, I think Reshiram won't mind helping," Alder grinned, and chuckled at her confusion. "The League won't mind them being used, either. It's not like they're a foreign Pokémon. I know Reshiram will enjoy battling with you again."

"Well, then I guess I still stand a chance," she snickered, looking out to the carnage again. She sighed, recalling a similar scene back in Unova. "Have you... ever found N?"

Or rather, his body.

She didn't like to think that, though.

"No, nor Zekrom. It's as though they vanished, although there's rumor of a dragon-like Pokémon north of Route 13. Haven't checked it out, though."

"Zekrom took care of him, I'm sure of it. But maybe I'll see what that's about when I return. How about Team Plasma?"

Alder gave a thumbs up, "Ghetis is still under lock and key, along with most all his sages. One recently turned to our side and helped find the others. I think he was one of the only ones who actually cared for N."

"Good, that bastard needs to never see the light of day," she snorted, but then shook her head. Her smile was sad as she looked to her comrade. "I never did thank-you for stopping me back then—from killing Ghetis. It's taken a long time, but I've finally realized that would have just been worse."

"Hence, why I stopped you. If it helps, I would have wanted to do the same thing in your place," he replied, his smile much warmer and gentle as he clasped her shoulder. She reached up to squeeze his hand, gaze out at the city as she sighed.

"I'm grateful you came, by the way, and happy to see you again. I'm sorry I never called even if only because I didn't have long distance."

"No need to apologize, you had a very deep, personal journey to make... and it seems it went well. You look stronger, despite being in mourning. But they say it is our darkest days that make us shine the brightest when the sun finally rises. It is good you have strong friends to help you along the way as well, and someone to help shoulder your burden. That Leon of yours is _quite_ an interesting young man."

She groaned, "You're not the first to say so. _Please_ tell me he's not blatantly gloating about us dating?"

"He's quite proud of the fact, certainly, but I speak of his strength and determined will. You didn't see it, but he was relentless in his work to help the people. He refused to stop until he himself could not move much more, and that young man... Raihan, was it? Got him to rest. He made sure you were alright first, though," Alder chuckled, gaze moving to the city. "It's good to see such strong, willful trainers in this land. Shame we're to be leaving soon. I would have liked to see that strength personally.

He paused to face her again, gesturing, "And what about you, Cassandra? Do you plan to leave with us?"

"I'm still deciding. Like I said, there's still a lot to do, so... we'll see," Cassandra sighed with a shrug.

Alder clapped her shoulder again, "Then do what you must here, and I will see you again soon."

"Yeah, sounds like a plan."

He turned to leave, but then paused and looked to her, "By the way... I've heard another rumor—one about a Zoarark roaming around the ruins of N's castle. I thought you should know."

Cassandra's heart raced a little as she thanked him, and then turned back to see the city. She had no doubt in her mind about what the Pokémon was.

It was N's Zoarark.

He was still waiting for his master, wasn't he? Or, no.

His friend.

N was never anyone's master.

The poor thing must have been so lonely all this time, hoping for something that would never come. All the more reason for her to go back then.

Cassandra smiled as a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind, and a familiar chin settled on her shoulder. She grinned as she tilted her head to look at bright, golden irises.

"Thanks for letting me have some privacy with my _friends_. How bad did you want to come show off that I'm yours?"

He purred, " _Badly. B_ ut you seem... happier. After talking."

"I am. There were things I needed to say—and to think about."

"Like... what?" he tried tentatively.

"I think... I think it's time I went home—once things are back on track here," she replied, and felt his grip falter. She chuckled, "I'm not breaking up with you, Leon. I've just been away from everything and especially home and my parents too long. I have a lot of unfinished business and explanations to give."

"Oh... when do you think you'd go? And be back?"

"The Leagues will leave in a week. So maybe then? Or maybe in a month or another year. I'm not sure. But... I'm ready. I need to bring Arcanine home, too. He needs to rest back at the Ranch where everyone else will be."

Leon hummed, "I could go with you."

"Oh, no, no. You need to stay here and help your people. They're going to need you while they recover from what happened. Gloria's going to need you, too—this history is going to become hers, especially when she's the keeper of Eternatus, and she's going to need to start becoming a bigger public figure in this hard time."

"I hate that you're right," he groaned, shifting so he, too, was leaning on the railing, facing her. She touched his lip with her finger playfully.

"It's not going to be forever, so calm down. I absolutely plan to get a new phone so we can video chat, and I _definitely_ plan to come back to my _boyfriend_. Just... don't fall in love with anyone else while I'm gone?"

"Never," he growled, taking her hand and kissing the knuckles. "My eyes—and heart—are only for you. Besides, nobody is going to take me through as thrilling of an adventure as the one you have. The bar's way too high now."

She laughed, rolling her eyes, "Oh is _that_ the only reason why you love me?"

"Just a small part. But it's a nice addition to the list," he smirked and kept her hand in his. "I could come to Kanto—er Johto, you know. Instead of you coming back here. Once things settle down, I mean."

"You're actually going to leave Galar? I'm shocked."

He chuckled, "Hey, I'm being serious! I've spent all my life here with no time to see the rest of the world. Gloria's Champion now, which means I have that kind of freedom. The Battle Tower can run itself--I was just the final test to move tiers, but they can get someone else. We have to meet each other's parents at some point, anyways. Mine of which you can do _tomorrow_."

"Wait, really?" Cassandra inquired; brow raised. He nodded.

"Yep. I talked to her last night and she demanded I bring you for dinner tomorrow."

"Well, I can't say no, then can I?" she laughed. "But... yeah, I guess if you wanted you can come to me instead. I'd love to show you the Ranch and meet my family in person. It's a really different place. Unfortunately, you can probably only bring Charizard unless you get special permission like I did, and even then, they'd need to stay at the Ranch when you take the Gym challenge."

"'When'?"

She snorted, "Leon, please. It's _you_. You're _going_ to take the challenge."

"You know me so well already."

"I'm your girlfriend, I damn well better."

"...Yeah, you know what? It'll be fun trying out new regions. Maybe even conquer all the regions you did to show you how it's done and then keep going," he smirked, a playful twinkle in his eyes.

"You're on, _ex-Champ_!" she smirked, and laughed as he suddenly pounced, lifting her up to spin around and then set her back down.

"I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited about the future now," Leon purred, pressing his forehead to hers.

"Same... there's going to be some bumpy roads, especially without Arc, but thanks to you, I know I can do it. I'm going to miss you when I leave. It won't be the same without you touching my bum at night," she grinned.

He purred, "Well, I guess we'll have to make sure we do enough to make up for all that lost time we'll rack up. And just know, if you ever feel sad, you can bet I'm going to kiss you until you're feeling better."

"Oh? Well, I do happen to be feeling a _little_ sad right now, what with knowing I'll be leaving my favorite Champion behind."

"Then allow me to heal your woes," Leon purred, and kissed her as passionately.

_Click._

Cassandra pulled back sharply, and stared, wide-eyed, at Raihan, who had his camera in his hands and a shit-eating grin.

He ran away laughing, shouting something about posting it to his Pokégram, and Cassandra let him go with a chuckle. Leon chuckled with her, and, no longer disturbed, they continued where the treatment left off. After all, there was no point hiding it, she loved Leon. Leon loved her. Not even returning home and putting an ocean between them would change that.

\-----------

\------------

_One month later_

"Hey, they posted the article. Check out the title," Leon chuckled as he held up his phone to Cassandra, who had been stroking his hair while he rest his head in her lap. She let the Rotom float in front of her face while she scrolled and read the title.

_Champion's Sword, Galar's Shield_

She couldn't help her snort and laugh as she went through the article, reading aloud how the reporter they'd interviewed with just a week ago described their ordeal. He fluffed it up naturally, although Leon thought it was a nice touch. The writer happily glorified the daring adventure he and his Johto-jin "lover" went on to stop the evil machinations of the dastardly false Kings of Galar, but also protect its people with the help of the Warrior Pokémon that had not only obtained but befriended. Together they had proved unstoppable, calling on allies from around the world to rally to their side, and, standing together, save the region.

It was all kinds of embellishment, but it made for a good story. No one would know the true hardships, but only the vague outline, and a picture of the two of them standing side by side, their Pokémon beside them and the Warriors just behind, displaying their mighty armored forms. They would at least know about the efforts from others, the article putting in candid shots of Team Rescue led by Silver, and also the other foreign Champions working closely with the Gym Leaders and Gloria, who had worked hard to bring down Dynamax Pokémon and keep people safe and calm. Even Hop got a cameo, seen shielding people and keeping them out of harm's way. It was a sight to behold.

"Uuugh that's _all_ they got of me?! Come on, I fought, too!" the young man in question groaned, lounging on the love-seat to their right while Gloria nestled herself in the single cloth chair in the living room of Leon and Hop's childhood home.

There wasn't much to be done today, so it was a reprieve they were happy to have and spend together with friends and family—like their mother. She'd finally gotten to meet the beautiful, loving woman just yesterday, and she was happy to have them lounge about while she cooked up a curry lunch that already smelled heavenly. Cassandra almost couldn't believe how welcoming she had been, instantly treating her like one of the family the second she stepped through the door. The older woman of the same height had practically tackled in her a hug and swung her around, screaming with joy. She was just so delighted her son had found such a "wonderful woman" to "keep him in line".

Needless to say, Leon had been thoroughly embarrassed yesterday and endured a great deal of teasing by both Hop, his mother, and later Cassandra when they were finally alone. The dinner was amazing, though, and not once did she feel like a stranger with his mother being warm and welcoming and loving. She could see where the boys got their amazing personalities and was in awe of a woman who was able to raise them both into such wonderful young men.

"Oh, hush you look very heroic," the younger Champion snickered, earning a blush.

"Your picture is way cooler, though! Look at you hanging with all those Champions..."

"Aw, c'mon, Hop. You were awesome protecting your hometown, and then you've been doing wonders with Silver's rescue team. You're a huge asset," Cassandra chuckled, resuming stroking Leon's hair. His expression was a pleased one, and he could very well fall asleep like they were. It wasn't often they got such easy-going moments.

"She's right, Hop. You were awesome. You're the new poster boy for Postwick now!" he chuckled and then laughed when his brother became sheepish, twiddling his thumbs as his cheeks turned bright pink.

"Still..."

"I do wish they'd talked about the rest of you more. It's mostly about us," the redhead pouted.

Their mother shouted from the kitchen, "Can't help it when you two made the final blows! You're like the legends of old that Sonia wrote about in her book!"

There was no preventing the matriarch of the family learning about the incident in Hammerlocke, especially when it was the top news, and so that had made their initial meeting turn into a _lengthy_ discussion about what Leon had been up to. It became quite heated when she learned about the danger they'd been in, although they kept some of the harsher and more gruesome moments out. She got enough to chew out Leon's ear, leaving it red from pinching, too. Overall, though, she had been relieved to know her sons were alright, as well as little Gloria and her new "daughter", whom she hugged tight and begged to keep her son's head on straight. Cassandra had replied that she'd do her best, as red in the face as her boyfriend was.

"Still can't believe we survived all that," Gloria sighed, resting a hand on one of her pokéballs. Cassandra had come to learn it was the one housing Eternatus'. "It still feels like a dream we're all here okay."

Well, almost all. There was one member missing from the group of Pokémon on their belts. The redhead's team was doing better, though, their mourning now saved for the moments when one's thoughts drifted, and it was impossible not to remember. Otherwise, they were their usual selves and happy to be reunited and make new friends. The redhead was pleased to see them all getting along, especially with Hop and Gloria's teams. They were essentially going to be family after all, being that Leon had yet to dump her.

Not that he ever would. That, he had assured her many times and even now there was not even a sliver of a thought of such a thing. Guilt sometimes ate at him for not protecting the woman be loved, but if anything that only made him more determined to stay by her side as long as she allowed and keep her safe. He loved her, unconditionally, and he would be there for her always, just as she would for him. That, and his mother had made it clear she would disown him if he broke up with her or she him because it would obviously be _his_ fault to lose such an amazing woman.

Naturally, Cassandra found she liked his mother, who at that point urged to be called Sophia rather than "ma'am".

"So, what are you guys going to do now that you're going to be heading back to work soon?" Cassandra inquired, to which Hop shrugged.

"I figured I'd stick with your friend Silver for a while. Helping everyone and their Pokémon has been a great experience, and I think I'd like to have my own work as a professor involve something like that. I'm not sure what, but my goal is to help Pokémon."

"Then Silver can definitely help," she grinned. "And don't worry about his attitude. He seems like a jerk but he's actually nice deep down. He just shows he cares mostly by insulting you."

"Oh, he sounds like fun!" Sophia laughed as she finished her work and poured it onto plates for everyone. Within a minute they all had plates of curry in front of them. The older woman, who obviously gave her sons their looks, grinned happily as she sauntered around and sat on the other side of Leon once he lifted his legs up. She smiled brightly at the two of them, absolutely tickled. Cassandra had a feeling her own mother would have done the exact same.

"Oh, he is. He means well, too. You have to give him a break, though; his dad was one of the most wanted men in the world," she snorted.

"Wait, who??" Gloria inquired, brows scrunching.

Leon answered, mouth half-full of food, "Giovanni of Team Rocket."

" _What?!_ " Hop gasped, lurching forward. "I remember hearing that name from school! He was one of the top ten most wanted in the world and they still don't know where he is! Silver is his _son_?!"

"Yep, and he's not happy about it, but he's part of my family now, and we're all almost as proud as he is of what he's become and accomplished in spite of it as he should be," the redhead added, and then glanced to Leon, who pouted. She sighed and nudged him, "Stop being jealous. He has a fiancé, remember?"

"I remember!" he huffed, taking another bite to stuff his face.

"Well, good on him. We need more people like that," his mother nodded.

"Man, your friends are so cool," the younger brother grinned, quite giddy now.

"Hey, Gloria, how are you liking the other Champions, by the way?" Cassandra inquired, glancing to the teen girl.

Her brown eyes lit up, "They're amazing! I love video chatting with them! They've been giving me all kinds of advice. All their Pokémon are so incredible, too. I wish we could all battle each other and test out our skills!"

"What? Like a tournament of Champions?" Hop chuckled, and it was Leon who let out a gasp, eyes sparkling.

"That's _perfect_! We have to find a way to do that somehow!" he beamed, laughing like a kid in a candy shop.

"Maybe in a few years," the redhead laughed. "The Champions are going to be very busy after this, dealing with paperwork, and catching up on everything they've missed. But it's an awesome idea, actually. I do want to have a round with you, Gloria."

"Wait—what about me? You said you'd battle me," Leon pouted, so she tapped his nose.

"Oh, hush, we'll have a bout, too."

Hop gasped, "Not before you fight me! We never even got our team battle before things went to shit!"

Sophia glared, "Language!"

"I'm not a little kid, Mom!"

"It's _my_ house."

Leon grinned, " And you'll always be my _kid_ brother."

"Shove off, 'Lee!"

"Make me, Hopscotch!"

"You swore you wouldn't say that around them, you dick!"

 _"Language!"_ Sophia bellowed. "Both of you settle down!"

The brothers promptly clamped their mouths shut and busied themselves with their food, which was suddenly more interesting.

"Aww, they're so cute," Cassandra snickered.

Gloria laughed, "Oh, yes. They've always been like this. But speaking of... it would be fun to have a battle, actually. I don't think I've done any kind of training since we fought those crazy guys. I bet our Pokémon would love a chance to stretch and get a good workout in."

"Oh, that sounds like a fun! You could all face off against each other or even do a double battle! You could even do a couples' battle!" the older woman giggled.

" _Mom!"_ Hop practically shrieked, face red.

Gloria blushed, as well, "We're not—not dating! We're not like that!"

"Uh-huh," Sophia grinned, giving them a side-ways glance.

"We can do doubles after we do singles, how about that? Kids against the big kids?" Leon smirked.

"I can go for that!" the young Champion laughed, probably wishing her cheeks weren't so pink still.

"Galarian teams only, or can I bring in some of my other guys?" the redhead smirked.

"Oh yeah! I'd love to see your other region ones fight! Heck yeah!" Hop exclaimed, bouncing up to pump a fist in the air.

"Awesome. Glad I brought them with me. So, finish lunch and let's head out?" she grinned, and agreement came in the form of quickly scarfing down their food, depositing the plates in the sink, thanking their mother for the delicious meal, and hurrying outside. The pitch in their yard wasn't big enough, but the field where the Wooloo had Dynamaxed gave them a perfect place to fight without causing too much trouble. All their Pokémon were happy to be out and about as well, stretching their limbs and shaking the kinks loose.

"Who's up for a battle?" Leon spoke, and the response was a definitive yes from everyone.

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! Come on, me first! Against Cassandra!" Hop grinned impishly, jabbing a finger her way. "You might be a Johto Champ, but you still have nothing on us Galarians!"

"Is that so? You're going to eat your words, _Hopscotch_ ," she smirked back, and laughed at the young man's dismay.

"Wha— _Lee!_ Why'd you have to go and say my nickname earlier?!" he wailed, going after his older brother, who promptly raced away, using his Rhyperior as a body shield. The Pokémon just rolled his eyes, and Hop's team looked decidedly not amused by their trainers' antics.

"Alright, alright, get it together! You have a match to get to. I'll judge the first round, so, Cassandra, pick your poisons, "Gloria snickered, gesturing. The redhead hummed thoughtfully as she regarded her large group of Pokémon, spanning multiple regions.

"Tyranitar for sure... Gallade, Empoleon... Luxray, Zoroark, and... hmm... shit," she rumbled, rubbing the back of her neck.

Leon finally returned to her, Hop having abandoned his attempts to get him, "What's wrong?"

"I... don't have a fire-type I can use."

Ah.

The mood became a little somber, though she hid her sadness well in her features. Her lover smiled, though, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"You can borrow Charizard?"

"What!?" Hop was the one to bellow.

"Charizard is just as much hers as he is mine right now, so deal with it. Besides, what are you worried about? Scared she'll beat you?" he smirked back.

His brother blushed and growled, "No! Fine! She can borrow him! I'll still win!"

"Thanks," Cassandra laughed, kissing her lover's cheek, and looked to the fire lizard, who approached with a smirk to match his trainers'. "Well, how do you feel joining my team for a bit?"

His confident roar and fire spit said enough.

"Just trust him to fight as you need and look out for his six. Charizard will do the rest," Leon added.

"Got it. Alright, Hop. Let's do this."

 _Tsk._ came a familiar voice over the bond, and she raised a brow at the Warrior Pokémon who lounged off to the side, refusing to look her way.

"Oi! Hush up, you! It's not fair for you to fight and you know it!" she laughed, but the Pokémon just snorted and shifted so her rear was facing the redhead. Besides her, Zamazenta laughed. Her trainer just made an "uh-huh" and turned back to meet Hop's firm gaze. "You ready to lose, kiddo?"

"You ready to cry when I beat you, Big Sis?"

"'Big Sis'?" she laughed.

"Well, 'Lee's definitely going to marry you," he smirked back, making both her and her lover blush. The older brother made a garbled sound and quickly chased his sibling across the field, threatening to clobber him. Cassandra ended up just laughing again, her face on fire, although shot a glare at Gloria who was stifling her own laugh.

"Alright, alright," the Champion snickered, "let's get the show on the road, else we'll never get through this round. Hop! You ready?

The young man shouted a confirmation while in his brother's headlock, so she looked to the redhead, "'Cas?"

"We're good to go."

"Then, fight!" she shouted, lifting her arm, and it was on.

Hop had earned his place in the Championship Cup. His team wasn't the best in terms of type variety, but he had good battle instinct and had taught good moves to his team. His bond with them was strong, too, and more than a few times Cassandra had to work quick to regain her advantage. Ultimately, she was the victor, but it was to be expected in some ways: her team had been working, training, and battling much longer than his. They had years of experience over him, and type advantages weren't in his favor much. He took the loss well enough, though, groaning with slumped shoulders when his favored Dubwool collapsed down, overcome by her Gallade's fighting and psychic abilities. Her Pokémon stood proudly; eyes closed as he took a reverent stance.

"Winner, Cassandra!" Gloria called out, raising her right arm for the redhead's side. Leon made a good show of cheering for her while the Champion comforted Hop who pouted fiercely. They still met in the center, though, shaking hands.

"You did good—you definitely have what it takes to be a Champion one day," she chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah; I know you're saying it just to make me feel better."

"No, I mean it. You have a strong bond with your Pokémon, which is part of what makes a trainer capable of being Champion. At most I'd say you need to add some more variety to your team to cover more type advantages, and then focus on predicting what your opponent will do. Being that you're a professor... I can guarantee that'll become second nature in no time."

Hop regarded her for a moment, "You really think so?"

"Yeah! You've come far, especially for your age, so just think how powerful you and your team will be as you get older? Just have faith in yourself and your team; they won't let you down if you do," she smirked back, giving him a thumbs up.

"Yeah... Yeah! You're right!" the young man laughed. "Now I'm double glad you'll be my Big Sis one day!"

" _Hop_!" Leon shouted, blushing as much as Cassandra again.

"Please, like you'd ever break up with her," Gloria snickered, earning a quick huff from her mentor.

"Well, I can't say I'm not hoping myself," the redhead winked, making her boyfriend's eyes go wide and his face turn that deeper shade of red. His little brother just laughed and jabbed a finger at his "Big Sis" to be.

"Watch out, 'Cas. One of these days I'm going to take you on and wipe the floor for real with you!"

"I'm counting on it. So, bring it on, little man. And good luck against your brother—I don't think he's going to be merciful in your fight," she snickered, a mischievous glint to her eyes as the young man's expression fell. Dread was all-too clear when she turned away with a laugh. She approached Leon, who was already stretching his limbs, an eager grin on his face. His focus was on Hop, who was quickly healing up his team, but he looked to Cassandra as she came over and gave him his pokéball back. "Thanks for letting me borrow Charizard. Makes me want my own."

"I guess I could share. He battled great with you, too. I was almost jealous."

"I do need to get a fire-type. It's the one type I never got more of thanks to Arcanine," she smiled sadly. His hand came up to cup her face, and she leaned into his touch. His smile was kind and gentle, and there was guilt in his face. She reached up and placed her hand over his, wishing he wouldn't feel that way. It wasn't his fault.

"You're going to make a fire-type Pokémon very happy then. I just know you'll be unstoppable with whatever you pick."

"It's me, so of course," she chuckled. "Now, go show your brother who's boss, alright?"

He smirked, "Oh, no trouble there... although, he's not _entirely_ wrong. I could even propose now, y'know?"

" _Oi_! Lovebirds let's go!" Hop bellowed, impatient.

Gloria barked as well, "No kidding! I'm getting bored!"

"Oh, hush! Go confess to each other already!" Cassandra shouted back, and laughed aloud when the two teens blushed, looked to one another, and then looked away twice as fast. Oh, goodness, she was going to enjoy that. She looked back to Leon, "And as for you... don't even think about it—not when we haven't even gone on a second date."

"What? Saving Galar doesn't count?"

"No, it doesn't."

"Damn, well, I guess we have to make some plans after this."

"Yep. Now, go on... and don't cry when I whoop you at the end."

Leon laughed and kissed her brow, "Don't pout when I show you who's the _real_ Champion."

"Bite me."

"Maybe later," he winked.

"Just go, you dork!" she giggled, shoving him away, and moved off the battlefield to stand with Gloria, feeling more relaxed than she had before—a bit more at peace, too. Things would still be difficult, but right now she was happy to spend time with friends and loved ones, relishing in the joy of it all.

After all, it wouldn't last forever.

\-----------

\------------

_Four months later..._

Cassandra didn't want to, but she knew it was time to leave.

Galar was well on its way to recovery, and Hammerlocke was about a third of the way done with repairs. The Gym Challenges was going to be put on hold for about a year, but the region probably needed it. The Battle Tower was always open, though, and many trainers went there to test their skills—and occasionally try their hand against Leon, Gloria, or even the infamous foreign Champion that had earned the trust of the Legendary Hero Pokémon Zacian. Just as Raihan said, she'd grown quite popular thanks to her role in both the battle and as Leon's significant other, and so had to endure whatever press found their way to her, which made taking trips to Leon's home a massive relief. It made her wish they could stay there more often, and is mother seemed to agree, having come to adore Cassandra as much as Hop had.

Overall, though, things had moved smoothly she dared to say. She'd been allowed to keep her Pokémon with her, utilizing them for repair work, so she'd been able to focus on her bonds with them once more. It has also served to indulge curious eyes. After all, most of her Pokémon were totally unknown to the country, and she dared to say she'd lit a spark of inspiration in many to travel the world as she had. Whatever the case, she was happy to show off her teams, but also took solace in the alone time with her Pokémon, who had wept and mourned the loss of Arcanine with her. Even Zacian grieved, having respected the fire-type for his loyalty and strength. The legendary had become a close confident in the three months, as well, and she liked to think of her as a true friend. She certainly seemed to act like she felt the same, and even appeared sad at times when the redhead mentioned she would be leaving.

It was inevitable, though, and it sometimes made things hard with Leon, too, though nothing that could truly break them. If anything, he'd become more determined to prove his affections. He'd made a point take her on dates any night he could, ensured every night was filled with pleasure that improved with each passing day, and did a good job of hiding the fact he was upset. He knew she had to go, though, so he only made a promise to give her a parting gift she wouldn't forget. She couldn't even begin to fathom what is was, only praying it wasn't some kind of engagement ring. Oh, she certainly could see a life with him, but it was way too soon, and they still had things to do as individuals.

Thus, here she was, ready to fly off any day on Pidgeot. She'd already said her good-bye to the Gym Leaders, especially Raihan who she considered a good, close friend, even if his constantly taking pictures made her want to smack him around. He never shared what she honestly didn't want to be out on the web, for which she was grateful, but still. Regardless, he was her friend for sure, so naturally he demanded she return for a rematch in his new Gym in the future and she promised she would. Funnily enough, so had Nessa, Gordie, and Kabu, whom she'd grown closer with over the month. Naturally, that meant she would. She wasn't leaving Galar forever and might even come back to live one day. With permission, she could easily set up a ranch for her Pokémon—probably somewhere just outside Postwick.

For now, though, she waited at the ranch with her teams roaming about in the grassy area. It wasn't perfect, lacking the trees some of her grass-type liked, and only a meager, but fair-sized pond for her water-lovers. There were no fire pits for the fire-types, nor a sand box or earthy, stone area large enough to satisfy her ground-type, but it worked for what they had. Her Pokémon were happy to endure it, spending time with everyone and _her_ again. Even now they pranced around, some venturing off, but never too far. Others lounged just feet away, snacking on their treats and meals. Zacian always kept the closest, lying in the sun, head in her lap. She was, of course, happy to stroke the legendary's brow gently or rub behind the ears. She missed doing the same for Arcanine, and she knew she always would. But the legendary warrior did a good job of being a fine lap companion.

 _You are leaving soon,_ her voice echoed in her mind, and a sense of despondency filled the redhead.

"Yeah, I need to head back. You're welcome to come with, see some new places?" she chuckled, looking down into red-rimmed, amber eyes.

 _No, my place is here, where we are still needed. This land is mine to protect with my brother. Eternatus may be tamed, but so long as it exists here, so must we. And the future always poses some new danger. We must wait to meet it,_ the Pokémon paused to rise to a lying position so she could look down to meet her trainer's gaze proper. _But... should you need me...Call to me, and I will come. No matter where you are, I will find my way to you. This, I swear on our bond._

"Thanks, Zacian. I'm going to miss you when I'm gone," she spoke softly, rubbing along her jaw. The warrior licked her hand and then pressed her blue-furred brow to her trainer's.

_You will return. This, I know to be true. Many years may pass, but your heart will call you here once more, and we shall meet again as old friends in this land._

"I like the sound of that," she replied, and knew Zacian was right. Even if took twenty years, she knew she would come back. This place had become too important in her heart not to.

 _Sister!_ Zamazenta's voice rang, and the large, dark-furred quadruped leaped over the erected fence, tail wagging. The two legendaries met with yips and barks before smirking in their own conversation, blocked off from their trainers. Cassandra chuckled as she looked to Leon, who hopped the fence as well, and unleashed his Pokémon from their balls. Her teams greeted his happily, and they went off to their own little groups of friends they'd made over the months. Their trainers, however, met in an embrace--one which sent the redhead to her back, laughing as Leon landed on top and rolled them some. He released her on the second go and sat up with a cheeky grin.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're really twenty-four," she mused, sitting up to lean back on her arms.

He snickered as he plucked grass from her hair, "Y'know? Me, too. Hop's no better, though."

"So, it runs in the family."

"Darn, you got me."

She laughed, "Alright, alright. Come to see me off, then?"

"You're leaving tomorrow. Of course, I am," he replied, his demeanor somber now. She sighed softly and semi-lunged at him, forcing him to the ground. He didn't resist her embrace, and even returned it, rubbing along her back as she lay atop him. "It's going to be rough not seeing you."

"I know. I didn't think I would already be missing you... but I am. But at least I can keep in contact thanks to my phone upgrade."

"Thank Arceus for that—I'd go crazy without you making some smartass reply to anything I said."

"Says the man who keeps giving back cheeky flirts that make me blush."

"Oh, I'm going to make you _blush_ alright, just wait until tonight."

"Uh-oh, am I going to be able to leave the bed tomorrow?" she grinned, leaning up to meet his gaze.

He winked, "Nope."

He leaped up suddenly, turning the tides, and pinning her beneath him. He kissed her quickly, and soon left a trail going down her neck to her collar, leaving her gasping and giggling and squirming, though she couldn't be freed from his grasp.

"Leon!" she laughed, and he just laughed with her before a final kiss to the lips again.

"There's your sample. But first... I did come to give you something that you'd never forget."

"Oh, so it wasn't mind-blowing sex because you've been following Raihan's tips?" she smirked and loved the way it made his cheeks go pink. "Wait—it's not that threesome he keeps asking for is it? I guess we do need to spice things up."

"N-no! Jeez, c'mon, 'Cas, I'm trying to make this a great surprise, and you said you wouldn't mention that again!"

"Okay, okay, I couldn't help it. And don't worry—the sex is _fantastic_ even with just two of us _,_ " she teased some more as he let her up.

He smirked, "Oh, I _know_."

"Shut up and surprise me, you dork," she laughed, standing up with him fully. The young man reached behind to rummage through his small bag and brought out an ordinary pokéball. He held it out, an eager look about his face. She raised a brow as she took it, noting a Pokémon was inside. He gestured for her to release it, so she did. The red light flared and when it faded, a small, baby Charmander stood at her feet. She gasped as the little thing let out a small, high-pitched cry, a silly grin on its face. Charizard heard the cry of its kin and came over, curious. At first, the little Pokémon was unsure of its fully evolved form, but a small puff of fire from the winged lizard made it cry out in joy. It puffed a much smaller fire right back.

"It's—"

"—a Charmander. Charizard and I found _her_ wandering in the Wild Area all alone a few weeks ago. I brought her to a care facility to check everything out, and, well... I thought... maybe this could be a little something from me—to remind you of Charizard and me, and, well... I know she's not Arcanine, but..."

Cassandra smiled as she crouched down and held out her hand. The Charmander tilted her head curiously, sniffing. She seemed satisfied and came closer, allowing the redhead to scratch under the chin, which the little fire-type enjoyed immensely. She beamed as she lifted Charmander up—slowly, to not startle her—and cradled the Pokémon in her arms. The fire-type cried out happily, patting at the redhead's face and enjoying the continued petting treatment.

"She's lovely. She's... a surprise to remember," she chuckled, looking to Leon, who was ready to burst with joy. She leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Thank-you. You're right that's she not Arcanine, but... she's going to become a strong, valuable member on my team. I did need a fire type."

"I knew you'd love her. She's got a good nature, although she might be a troublesome Charmeleon—they always get an attitude then. But if anyone can handle her, and make her an incredible Charizard, it's you. I look forward to seeing how much she grows with you."

Cassandra raised a brow, "Oh? Is that a promise you'll visit?"

"Of course! I already said I would. Not to mention, I promised to meet your parents, so why not add on another one?" he purred, wrapping an arm around her waist. His smile grew soft, and a little sad. "I'm going to miss you, 'Cas... more than I've missed anyone. I think even more than my dad."

"Same. It's going to be rough, but with how busy you and I will be time will pass quick and we'll see each other soon enough. Just... take care of Zacian for me, alright? I worry she'll get lonely without me."

Not far off, she heard her Pokémon snort, as if offended. She couldn't help snickering.

"Don't worry, Zamazenta and I will make sure she'll be alright. I can take them battling at the Tower whenever they like. I know a lot more trainers are dying to face them."

"Ha! Well, she'll love that. Take care of yourself, too, okay? Remember all the good you've done and still are going to do."

He kissed her brow, "I will. I still have doubts some nights, but... I think I'm starting to see what I'm meant to do now; that I'll be okay. When I finish up with things here, I'll come find you. And then... well, who knows what awaits us."

"I look forward to it. For now, though, let's have the team meet their newest member, and enjoy that dinner you promised me. Oh, and dessert after."

"Dessert you say?" he purred, taking her hand to kiss her knuckles.

She winked, "Red Velvet Cake. Your _favorite_."

Leon just grinned.

\---------------------------

**TMWolf:** _And we come to the end...._


	20. Reunions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the final chapter begins....
> 
> Special thanks to autumnfalls911 on Wattpad who made me realize I needed to add some scenes to this chapter, which make it so much better xD

_**\--------------------------------------** _

_Two weeks later_

_Unova, Victory Road_

A lot had changed since she left three years ago.

For one, the destruction caused by Team Plasma had been mostly cleared away, although rubble still remained on the road to the Elite-4's new domain. Victory road was much the same, save for parts of the caves where she recognized the ruins of N's castle or changes in paths she didn't remember. She didn't know how the castle had remained here, but it gave her an easy trial to follow, although the ruins soon turned to regular cave floor and then opened up into the mountainous area before reaching the final stretch to the Elite-4's headquarters. Thanks to the information Alder gave her, she knew to divert before reaching the building on high, and instead ventured right, going down a set of stairs to a series of tunnels and more paths to bring her to cave far off from the rest. It was technically off limits to trainers, she knew, having passed by signs serving as warnings to any passerby.

Cassandra was still going to go in, though. She technically had "permission" to do so, and she'd come to Unova for this—among other things. _This_ was one of the first stops she knew she had to do, though. An old friend was waiting for her there; one she couldn't leave alone; one she couldn't let suffer like she had. So, she pressed onward.

The cave was a bit darker than the road itself, although she could see the glow of a dim light in the distance—down below the sharp drop of the ledge on her right. She couldn't see it yet, and imagined there had to be a stairwell somewhere, but she was sure the glow was where the castle had to be, lit by crystals powered seemingly by nothing. She always remembered the marvel that was N's castle, both amazing and terrifying all at the same time. The inside was the epitome of palatial style and grandeur, the tiles all perfect squares of marble in different shades and not a single decoration not the best of the best. It was a palace fit for a King—for N. Ironically, though, she had to admit the castle always felt more like a cage when she chased N through it.

And then it had become a grave.

Memories of that day filled her mind, but she didn't try to push them away this time. She couldn't—not anymore. She'd swore to Leon she would become a better person; to be a stronger person, and to do that, she had to accept all that happened, be it good or bad. Even if hurt, she had to remember, and force herself to keep walking forwards.

She did pause, though, when one of her pokéballs suddenly flared and Zoroark emerged, ears erect and aimed forward. It stretched its body to full height, eyes watching intensely ahead. Cassandra followed his gaze, and gasped.

Not even a hundred feet away she finally saw it; a familiar figure, somewhat obscured by the dark. She could see enough, however, to know it was another Zoroark, and by the way _hers_ was acting, she knew it had to be his brother. _N's_ Zoroark partner. The one that had helped bring them together so long ago—the once small, little dark-furred Zorua, who came bounding up and pounced on his brother. She couldn't help smiling at the memory, or the surprise on N's face when he realized how happy her Pokémon were with her; especially her fire-type. Her friend had once told her he'd never seen a Pokémon love a human as much as her Arcanine had.

Now they were both were gone, and both she and N's Zoroark remained.

The world really could be cruel, although in the end, she knew there was always hope. For her, it was in the form of a small Charmander, who rested peacefully in her pokéball. And for the dark-type Pokémon staring at them intently? Yes, there was still hope. He wouldn't have to suffer alone anymore.

"Zoroark!" she called out, making him flinch. N's Pokémon's ears flickered forward, and for a moment she thought he would come to her and his brother.

Then it turned and ran, and she sighed softly. Her Zoroark whined, ears lowering. She stroked his head gently, giving him a comforting smile.

"Don't worry; he might not recognize you right now. Let's go find him and you can remind him who you are," she chuckled, and her Pokémon nodded. Together, they continued towards the light, eventually happening upon a stairwell that was damaged, but still intact. Sunlight breached from on high, making it easier to see, and down below she could make out the castle better, the glow indeed coming from inside. She had to stop at the top and breathe in deeply; briefly unsure of herself—of doing this. N's body had lay in a pool of blood in there so long ago. She had gone mad and nearly killed Ghetis, and then lost herself to despair. So much had happened, and here she was, back to the place she'd run from. It felt unreal, yet the shaking of her hands was not an illusion, nor the twisting of her gut.

She felt sick, but still she steeled her resolve, and, sparing a long look with her Pokémon, they descended.

The room it led to was littered with rubble and debris, although the black, square tiles of the floor were still in good shape, as was the overall structure. The style was just as she remembered, and the uneasiness she felt only increased. Too many memories kept beating at the walls of her mind, and it was hard to let them in. It was only her promise to Leon and his words and the love she felt for him that kept her sane. Even an ocean away and he was helping her still. It helped bring a small smile to her face before she turned to the only way to go, rubble blocking the other hallway.

She paused in the new room as well, taking in the array of toys and play equipment. There was a basketball court to one side, and a toy road track left incomplete with a bus overturned. A skateboard ramp was towards the back, separating the room, and lively flooring and ornaments littered the place. It was befitting a young child. It was N's room, of course, as a boy. He'd vaguely mentioned such a place once, where he'd befriended Pokémon hurt by people: the place he began to be molded by Ghetis. It resembled a child's paradise, but deep down, she knew it was just part of the prison.

There was no way forward, either. Sighing, she ventured back out to the main area, glancing around. It was Zoroark who found the way first, sniffing at the ground and barking for her to follow. She had missed it before in the dimmed light, but there was a break in the wall siding leading to a secondary, smaller path than went around the main hallway. It, too, was eventually blocked, but Zoroark again found a break in the wall to return to the hallway, though on the opposite side of the broken pillar serving as a blockade. He led her further still to the stairwell on the right that brought them up to the second floor. The hallway here was more damaged, but they were able to safely skirt around until the floor was broken off, curtailing any movement forward. There was an open path to the right, though; the door hanging loosely on one hinge.

"He's in there?" she asked her Pokémon, which stared intently, ears once again forward. The dark-type nodded, turning to look at her instead. She nodded back, clasped his shoulder, and they walked forwards once more. She held her breath when they crossed the threshold, the walkway becoming a thin path that led up to the throne room. Arceus, she remembered this place. The actual seat itself was gone along with the once pristine walls, but she could still see it; Ghetis sitting there and revealing the truth. It made her want to turn and run again, but then she spotted N's Pokémon just ahead, and she quashed the feeling.

The Zoroark stood in the center of the first widened section, sunlight beaming down. She could already guess why. Though it had long since dried and faded, she could still see the pool of red. This was where N had last been before Zekrom took him away. She still didn't know where, and she wasn't sure she wanted to. She was too cowardly for that still, but, at the very least, she had enough courage for this.

"Zoroark," she called again, and the Pokémon looked to her. His shoulders were slumped, ears lowered, and red claws touching the ground. A morose sound came from its mouth, and her dark type rumbled softly as it stepped forward. N's Pokémon tensed, making hers pause and bark in a gentle tone. N's ears flicked, head tilting as he sniffed at the air. He flinched, almost as if struck, but then stood up alert and eyes wide. He made a short bark and then her Zoroark came forward and embraced his brother. The two yipped and howled and bark as they nuzzled their cheeks together. It made Cassandra's heart swell as she came closer, glancing to the sunlight spot.

Indeed, the blood was long gone. Even so, she knelt down and put her hands to the yellow tile, her chest tightening. Her eyes watered soon after, her breathing shaky as she let the memory flow. She wouldn't fight it anymore, and let the images fly across her closed eyelids; the ocean of red; the stains upon a pale face; the light in his eyes fading; his words but weak whispers; the maddening rage that filled her; the thunderous cries of her Pokémon as they fought, fueled by their anger; the fear in Ghetis eyes when she raised his bloody staff; Alder's shouts and vice grip on her hands; her screams as he dragged her away; the emptiness of the chamber and in her chest.

A good man and friend died that day, and he left many who loved him behind. A Zoroark included.

The redhead turned when she felt claws touch her shoulder, and found that very Pokémon there, his gaze much like her own. He crouched down with her, placing the same claws as before beside her hand and let out a short, sad cry. She smiled softly and reached over to stroke his head—just like she remembered N would. It made the Zoroark's eyes shoot up suddenly, widening, and then tears began to shimmer on the edges. She knew that feeling all too well, and so wrapped her arms around the Pokémon. Claws clung to her tight, though not painfully, and N's former Pokémon wailed with sorrow. Cassandra didn't dare let go, nor did his brother, who wrapped his arms around them both.

She didn't know how long he wept or when she began to sob, too, but they stayed that way until, at last, the Zoroark pulled back with a weak, but warm smile, although he still had a few tears left.

She stroked his head again, smiling back, "I miss him, too. Alder told me a Zoroark was here, and I knew it had to be you."

N's Pokémon grinned a little, leaning into her touch as she began to rub behind his ears.

"You can come with us—if you want. We have a place back home for my Pokémon teams. It's a big ranch where you and your brother can stay together and hang out with my teams. I... plan to make a grave for N there, too. Once I go back. I still have some more things to do, but... I'd love to have you with us."

Zoroark looked back down to the ground, quiet for a moment or two, and then looked back to his brother and her. Another silent moment passed, and he nodded. Cassandra chuckled and pulled out a pokéball, which she held out. N's Pokémon understood, and, having been released by his trainer before his passing, tapped the center button with a claw. He was sucked inside, and the ball remained still. The redhead smiled softly as she stood, holding the ball up in her grasp.

"Welcome to the team, Zoroark, she spoke softly, and then looked to the sunlit spot. "And N... don't worry. We'll take good care of him."

She clipped the ball to her belt and, turning to her own Zoroark, stroked his head gently. He looked up at her, eyes warm and comforting.

She chuckled again, "Well, let's go. We have one more friend to reunite with."

Her dark-type just nodded, and they turned and left; the castle soon left far behind and all that remained within.

_\----------------------------_

_A few days later_

Cassandra paused on the dirt path as she approached the break in the trees. The once thick forests opened into a decently large area, though the town was small over all compared to the bustling cities of Unova on the mainland to the Northeast. She supposed it was to be expected, the town cut off by both a body of water and a small section of mountains from the mainland. It was an area ripe with foliage and Pokémon, and far more peaceful than she expected. Even the wild Pokémon were calm, and the air was crisp and clear and nice. It reminded her of her home in New Bark Town, where things were simple and the population nowhere near that of big cities like Goldenrod or Saffron. Only, here it seemed the population was even less, what with only a handful of homes. There was at least a Pokémon center, though. He team could use a rest after going through Route 20 after docking in Virbank City just to the east—or rather, Charmander could.

Now, the small fire-type rested in her arms, tired after training hard all the way from the city for the last few hours. Cassandra had tentatively started working on nicknames for the Pokémon, "Chari" being one, but maybe "Charla" or "Charia", as it would get confusing when she reunited with Leon and they were both shouting her Pokémon same name. So far nothing felt quite right, but she was still young, and this was only barely their third week together. Even so, the little fire-type had bonded fast to her and was both eager to please and prove their worth against any and every Pokémon she could find—including her own teammates! Her energy was boundless, and the redhead hoped that wouldn't turn into too strong of teenage rebellion once she evolved into a Charmeleon. That, or they could get it out through vigorous training, which was in part why she'd taken so long to reach the little town of Flossey. Her fire-type needed all the work she could get, and good Arceus did she jump at it. She was already strong, though, and Cassandra knew she'd be gushing about her to Leon when she called later.

"Alright little girl time to get you healed up," she chuckled, venturing along the path, and passing by a house and garage. There was another just ahead, lined with a fence. It had a pitch battle ground in the yard, giving her a good guess of who lived there, but she left it be for the Pokémon center further down the road. She noted an old clock tower that looked to have been made a long time ago—even longer than the houses themselves. The park seemed somewhat new just opposite to the tower, and there were very few residents, of which gave her curious glances. They probably didn't get visitors often.

The Nurse Joy was alone in the facility, but more them welcoming and happy to spruce up her Charmander, who was returned to her pokéball. She'd probably pop back out once she woke from her nap, but at least for now she'd stay put.

"By the way, do you happen to know where Alder lives? I came here to pay him an overdue visit," she inquired when her Pokémon were returned.

Nurse Joy gave her a curious look, "Oh, yes. He's the house near the entrance, but on the left as you're leaving. He has the battle pitch on his yard."

"Awesome, thank-you!" she beamed back, and made sure to wave as she left, taking the road back up towards the entrance. As she thought, Alder's house was the one with the fence and pitch. It was a quaint little place, and suited him. He'd never been a boisterous man when it came to material things. The pitch itself looked fairly worn out, the line markers looking in need of re-digging. The dirt was disturbed all over, though, and even looked like there had been a scuffle recently by some scorch marks. She chuckled at that thought, knowing full well that could be both of them doing the same soon.

She paused at his door, inhaling deeply. She knew it was silly, but she was still nervous to see him again, even after going through everything. She knew she had to meet him, though—to reunite with Reshiram. It had been too long, and, really, she'd already found N's Zoroark; this should be no different.

At least she knew she wouldn't run, so all she had left was to move forward.

"Here we go," Cassandra breathed, and knocked on the door.

It took far too long for her sanity, but the door opened, and the familiar face of one former Champion Alder greeted her. He was just as she remembered back in Galar, with tanned skin and vibrant, fire-like hair. His poncho had been set aside somewhere, leaving only his black shirt and typical frayed, tan pants and dark sandals. His trademark grin appeared on his face as soon as she realized who she was, and he bellowed with laughter as he embraced her in a hug that lifted her off the ground.

"At least! You're here! Ah, it is good to see you, Cassandra! And you look good! There is a light about you!" he beamed, clasped both her shoulders when he set her down. "How are you, my friend?"

"Better, as you suspect. A _lot_ better now that I'm here and finally able to deal with things. You and Reshiram are next on my list."

His eyes lit up bright, "Excellent! Your dragon has missed you terribly, you know! Come, you must want to meet them right away!"

"Ah, yeah, I do," she chuckled, and he paused to regard her.

"You are... uncertain?"

"No—I mean... yes? I'm nervous. I basically abandoned them for years. It was hard enough going to N's castle... I mean, I did it. So, I _know_ I can. I just..."

"Feel guilty," Alder finished, and touched her shoulder again, more gently. "I understand... and I know the only way to be free of it, is to face it. Take heart, Cassandra; your fears are for naught. And if you cannot believe in yourself, then have faith in my words. I know, without fail, that Reshiram misses you and wishes to see you."

Cassandra met his gaze for a good long while before sighing and nodded, "Okay. If you think so... it must be true. I'm going to hold you to that, though, Alder."

"Good. Give me a moment. I'll take you to the grove in the back," he replied, turning to grab his poncho and pokéballs, which he slung over his neck.

She raised a brow, "Grove? He's not with you?"

"No—I wouldn't dream of containing such a being in a pokéball. Reshiram has been resting in the Pledge Grove just behind my home. It is a sacred place where many ancient Pokémon made their mark long ago. Most of all, though, it is peaceful. The dragon has waited for you there all these years."

"Then... let's not keep them waiting," Cassandra smiled a little, though her gaze was toward the ground. Alder only spared her a comforting smile of his own and gestured for her to follow him. He skirted to the left, taking them around the side of his house to the tree line, through which a path had been cleared. She still had to duck around some branches and the path was still covered in grass, but the way was obvious even as they approached a thicker patch of the grove that barely let any sunlight through. It wasn't a long stretch, and sunlight beamed down on high again as they stepped into a larger path clearing. Just above the tree line she could make out a massive rock—and a white shape. Her heart skipped a beat and she paused in her step. A cool sweat formed on her brow, and the ground became very interesting.

"Cassandra?" Alder called, having realized she stopped. She swallowed as she lifted her head, a forced smile on her face.

"Sorry, I'm just... not always as strong as I wish I was," she half-laughed, reaching over to grab her wrist. The former Champion smiled gently like he always did and came back to her. Once again, his hand was warm on her shoulder.

"Then it is a good thing you only need a little strength to keep walking forward."

The words struck her, and her smile grew more genuine. Her hand lifted from her wrist to his arm, grasping it back firmly. Alder chuckled, nudging her forward, and she complied. The path was short to the clearing, which opened up into a massive space of untamed grass, a large ring of dirt, two ponds on opposite sides of the circle, and at the back, butted up against the trees, a massive rock worn by the ages. In the heart of it, a deep gash spread around the side and over the top, as if struck countless times. Her eyes trailed upwards and once more, she found the white shape; the shimmering, white feather-like fur of the Pokémon she'd met all those years ago.

"Reshiram," she breathed, and the dragon lifted its head. The sunlight made the white of its body more pristine, but it didn't compare to the sky-blue eyes that opened and turned to meet her own. A deep rumble came from its belly and at the same time Cassandra felt a tug in her chest—one she knew all too well; the same she felt with Suicune and Zacian.

Her Pokémon called to her.

_Chosen_.

Its voice was soothing and warm, so much so she didn't realize when her eyes had watered. By the time Reshiram flared its wings and glided down to her, landing gently right in front of her, tears began to weld up. It lowered its body and head, coming level with her so their eyes met properly. Again, she felt the tug, only stronger. A longing. Concern. Happiness. Gentleness. Cassandra reached out her hand slowly, holding her breath. She reached through to the pull as well, hoping it would take hold.

Reshiram regarded her hand for her a moment, glanced to her again, and then pressed its snout into her palm. Its fur was warm, and its gentle rumble made its body vibrate, which she felt. She couldn't stop her laugh—or the fall of her tears as she closed the gap and embraced the dragon's head, burying her own into its brow.

_I have missed you, Chosen._

"Me, too, Reshiram. I'm sorry I left you. I'm so, so sorry," she sobbed, and the dragon brought its wings around as if to embrace her. It sent a wave of comfort through their bond.

_There is nothing to forgive. I know the sorrow you felt. The anger. It was my own as well. I knew you would return._

"Pssh don't tell me you're a psychic type now, too?"

The dragon chuckled, _I only know the truth in your heart. You would overcome your pain and return._

"Well, you were right. I finally figured it out, and I'm back. I still have to go home, but I'm back to finish what I started."

_And I will stand with you again, and help you realize your truth. Now, and always. Even when you leave this land again._

"Already know I will?" she chuckled, pulling back to stroke his head gently.

_Your path is yet still long, and your calling great. I may not be able to go with you all the way, but when you have need me_ — _when you shall call for me, I will always come. You need only remember me in your heart, Chosen._

She smiled, pressing her brow to his again, "Thank-you, Reshiram. I'm honored to have you by my side."

"I take you're both doing well then?" Alder spoke up, earning a laugh from the redhead. She turned so Reshiram's head was settle on her shoulder some, allowing her to stroke its cheek.

"You could say that," she hummed, glancing to the Pokémon. Her attention was stolen away, though, as a pokéball on her hip twitched and let out a flare of light. She knew which one it was without even having to look and laughed as she reached down to pick up her Charmander just as she fully materialized. The dragon looked curiously at her, though seemed to understand something without being told. At least, she didn't get any questions over their bond—only comfort and a sense of sorrow.

"Oh? A Charmander? When did you get one?" the former Champion inquired, coming closer to look at the fire-type. Her young Pokémon made a "char" sound and spat a small puff of flame that made Alder laugh. He teased her with a tap on her nose, making the Pokémon wriggle and cry out happily.

"Leon gave her to me—as a going away gift... and because I needed a fire-type on my team. I try not to think of her as a replacement. She's a lot like Arcanine was when he was a Growlithe."

"Trust me, she won't be and you'll love her just as much. That Leon of yours is a good man."

"Yes, yes he is. I can't wait for him to visit me back home," she chuckled, turning so Reshiram could nuzzle the fire type, which grasped hold of his snout. To her dismay, Charmander even chomped _down_ on Reshiram's nose, but the dragon took it well—she felt only amusement through their bond. "Oh, my Arceus, Charmander!"

Alder laughed, "Ah, quite the spirit that one. So, you intend to go home after this?"

"Almost. I came to Unova right away to settle things. N's Zoroark was first and this was second. I plan to see about the dragon you mentioned, too, and also defeat the Elite-4. There's a lot to do, and then I'll return home and apologize to a _lot_ of people. I owe them a few drinks and dinners, too."

"It's a heavy burden you carry; it will take time to be rid of it all," he spoke softly. It turned into a grin a moment later, "If you need a place to stay while you are busy here, you are welcome to board with me as long as you need. My home is always open to my friends."

"Thanks, Alder. I'll probably stay extra just to spend it with Reshiram, since I doubt you'll be coming with me, huh?" she inquired, looking to the dragon.

_I am tied to this land, and it is here I must stay until you have need of me. When you are here, though; I go where you go. You are my Chosen._

"And I'm your partner," she beamed, nuzzling him gently. Charmander, funnily enough, did the same.

"As it should be. Well, since you'll be taking on the Elite-4 I think you're going to need to some more training. It's been some time since you battled with Reshiram, after all, or your Unova team," the older man grinned, hands on his hips. "Not to mention, your Charmander needs more experience to grow into a fine Charmeleon."

Cassandra smirked, raising a brow, "What did you have in mind, Alder?"

"What else?" he smirked back, pulling a pokéball from its clip and tossing it in his hand. "I told you didn't I—you still had to battle me even though I'm no longer Champion."

"So, you did!" she laughed and turned to face him proper. Behind her, Reshiram rose to full height and let out a roar. "So. Here? And now?"

"Here and now. Show me your worth as a trainer, Cassandra; I want to _really_ see why Reshiram chose you above all overs."

Cassandra glanced up to her legendary partner, who met her gaze with its bright, brilliant blue eyes, full of vigor and confidence. They sent as such through the bond, and the redhead couldn't help grinning. The thrill of battle she'd once forgotten surged through her and she set Charmander down. Their eyes met, hers filled with fire, and her Pokémon's wide with awe and curiosity.

"Watch close, little one. You're about to see what Pokémon battling is really all about. And one day, it'll be _you_ out there," she spoke, and the Charmander's eyes grew wider before she nodded and looked to Alder with her trainer.

He stepped back a good space and called forth his Accelgor. The bug-type Pokémon cried out in challenge, crossing its arm over its chest. Reshiram answered, lumbering forward as its tail burst into a fierce flame.

"Come then, Cassandra," he proclaimed, throwing his arms out wide.

"Here I am," the redhead breathed, and for perhaps the first time in years, her doubts and fears were burned away in the light of Reshiram's fire.

\------------------------------------------

_One year later..._

It was a calm, cool spring day in Johto, and the Ranch was as calm as ever. All around her, Pokémon lounged in their favorite spots. The only unusual ones were her Tyranitar, Pidgeot, and Corviknight, who huddle together in an odd, sweet little group. Her black-armored bird had finally grown a size or two over the years, and now he matched his "father" in size. Tyranitar still doted on the bird, and also his "mother". Even more odd than them, though, was the orange skinned Charizard, affectionately called Chara, that flew overhead before touching down gracefully, always showing off. She'd been having fun with the local Pidgey and Sparrow—terrifying them, of course—but now sauntered over to the water Pokémon swimming in their pond. An unlikely friendship, but she tended to move between all the groups, as strange as that might be. After all, she was the only _true_ fire-type on the Ranch, so she always involved with some group or another.

Cassandra supposed she could or should have gotten another fire Pokémon, but simply put, she didn't _need_ one. Once her Chara had evolved and matured, her power was more than enough to handle any situation requiring a hot flame. She had ended up using Reshiram for longer than she thought while her Pokémon gained experience in Unova, but once she left, all her business finished and the legendary once again in Alder's reliable hands, her Charizard—a Charmeleon then—had taken hold of the position and refused to let go. She was too stubborn and proud to let anyone else take her place, and now she was an indispensable part of the teams.

She was also the youngest, and most all her Pokémon saw her as the "kid" of the group even when she towered over at least half of them. Her personality was that of a child or teen, without doubt; she enjoyed pulling pranks on her friends and playing as much as possible. And yet, in battle she was fierce and refused to lose—her pride as a Charizard wouldn't allow it.

Needless to say, Cassandra adored Chara and couldn't imagine life without her now. That, and she always thought of Galar when she saw her—of the young man she _still_ loved and missed dearly. Though they spoke often over the year and half since she'd left, it wasn't the same as having him next to her, holding his hand, touching his face, tasting his lips. She wanted nothing more than to be with him again, but she was able to subdue her need over the last half year with work from the League and fighting in the Johto Battle Tower, giving her Pokémon good battle experience and keeping them strong. She didn't have anywhere to be just yet, after all, and she had spent the last year seeing to unfinished business and making up time with her friends and family. They had, to her relief, welcomed her back with open arms and she did her best to explain why she left now that she'd finished her matters in Unova. If they understood, she couldn't say, but they were happy to have her with them again and loved her new Pokémon as much as the older ones.

And so, she'd remained in Johto, living more peacefully than she had in a long while. With her family taken care of first, she had worked to make amends with her friends. She'd promised both Lance and Silver visits and saw to it. Sake was plentiful and food when it came to the dragon champion, and when Clair joined in, it was a night to remember as they exchanged stories and laughter at her Ranch. Dinner with Silver had been far more civil, and it was there she finally got to meet his lovely fiancé, Amara. The wedding was still in the works even now, but the redhead knew it would last. She'd never seen anyone make that grumpy man smile at much as his fiancé did.

For all the joy of reunite properly with her friends, she couldn't deny she had the urge to travel again—to some place new. Maybe to Hoenn again or Sinnoh to explore, or perhaps the Aloha region that had recently come of prominence with their League reaching world news. Galar always came to mind, of course, but she knew, in her heart, it wasn't time yet. A certain someone had made a promise, after all, and she intended to wait for him to keep it—or to tell her he had moved on. The thought hurt, and she had to remind herself it was just her own self-doubt talking.

_He_ would never so casually toss her aside. He was the most sincere, loving person she knew, and he would keep his promise.

Still—did he have to take so long?

"Well, hello, my feisty friend," the redhead chuckled as her Charizard flew over, coming right in for some attention—plenty of rubs and scratches along the jaw and neck. She was a glutton, not unlike someone else's Pokémon. Granted, all her Pokémon enjoyed some attention, but her lizard was _very_ needy compared to the rest. The sweetness of youth, she liked to call it.

She paused in her ministrations, though, when her Pokémon suddenly stopped their play and banter, and looked to the forest just beyond the fence. There was a new sense in the air; a new presence—one she knew very well. Charizard rumbled uneasily, still not quite used to the sudden comings and goings of the sanguine legendary, whose blue, shimmering body was like a clear lake on a serene day. The sapphire crystal on its brow glimmered in the sunlight, and its mane flowed majestically behind it like always. Cassandra smiled as she stood and met the Pokémon halfway, the others staying aside to stare reverently.

It was the legendary Suicine, after all. The epitome of serenity and purifier of waters.

"Hey, you. Was starting to think you were angry with me when you only stopped by briefly that one time," she grinned, and the legendary gave her a look, of sorts, with its fearsome, yet gentle red eyes. Not that she was intimidated by them anymore. Rather, she laughed and embraced the legendary, which returned her affection by pressing its snout into her. A cool warmth came over, its soothing aura permeating all around. A small, but meaningful gesture of affection from the legendary creature.

_I could never be angry with you, Chosen. There was still unease in your heart when you returned. You needed time. You are at peace now, but I sensed your melancholy, and so I have come,_ its voice echoed, the sound pleasant like a song. She was touched to hear it, Suicine not one of many words. _However, it seems I am not alone. Another like you approaches._

"Another like me?" Cassandra inquired, brows scrunching, but the Pokémon only turned its gaze to the sky. She spun around to look, and her heart skipped a beat. A roar echoed across the brilliant blue.

It was a Charizard.

The redhead only knew one person with a Charizard that would be in this part of Johto. She rushed forward, ignoring the surprised cries of some of her Pokémon. A few had taken note of the incoming flier as well and tensed up, ready to fight off any intruder. Her team from Galar, however, only smiled and sounded off happily. She called for the others to stand down as the new arrival came closer. Her Chara growled in challenge— _she_ was the only Charizard allowed around here, after all, but she, too, was shushed by Cassandra who waited with a fierce anxiousness in her belly.

The new Charizard let out a welcoming roar and landed with a thud. It grinned at Cassandra—and the female Charizard—spurting a friendly flame. Her fire-type rumbled uncertainly, recognizing the gesture, but wholly unaccustomed to it. Chara remained back, still unsure, but her trainer had no hesitation sprinting forward just as the rider descended and launched herself at them. Thankfully, the rider caught her in time, and laughed loudly as they spun.

_"Leon!_ " she cried out, and the rider finally stopped to let her down and slip off his hood and goggles, which had obscured his face. It was her Leon, though his purple hair had been cut shorter, now coming to his shoulders, and his dark beard was thicker. He wore a maroon and black jacket with creamy edges, and white sweats that stood out against black sneakers. It was hardly his usual wear, but she still knew that tanned shade of skin and those loving, golden eyes. He looked a little older, and far more handsome.

"'Cas! I finally found you—and the Ranch!" he laughed more, his voice booming. "I was beginning to the think my GPS was wrong!"

"GPS?"

"Yeah, I figured since I'm pants with directions, I should probably get an actual GPS to find this place! The ship took me to some port city West of here, so I didn't have any idea where to go even with my map!" he grinned.

Cassandra slapped a hand to her face, "Oh my Arceus, you're still hopeless! I'm shocked you got here in one piece!"

To that, his Charizard grunted and snorted, puffing its chest high. The redhead laughed, and then recalled her own Charizard. She took Leon's hand and quickly tugged him over.

"Look! The Charmander you gave me evolved! She's one of my strongest team members now! I call her Chara for short," she beamed, and, realizing she was being praised, the lizard-like Pokémon flared her wings and held her head high. She was a tad smaller than his male, but her personality made up the difference.

Leon whistled, "Dang, she turned out great—and she's still growing! I bet she could show my Charizard a thing or to now!"

"Damn straight. She hasn't lost once! Yours has, though," she smirked, a playful gleam in her eyes.

"Careful now, I'll have you know I managed to beat Gloria, so I took back my loss," he purred, puffing his chest up. He wasn't wearing the Champion attire, though, and he noticed her look. He chuckled, "I decided to not take back the title. Galar's had enough of me, and I had my fill of being its Champion. They need someone new long-term, and she fit the bill. She's happy taking up the role, though, and the crowd loves her. I love it, too—it made it that much easier to finally make my way here."

"As promised," she added, and he nodded.

"As promised... Oh wow! What is _that_!?" he gasped, spotting the legendary when he started to look around. Of course, she brought him over Suicine. The Pokémon regarded him for a long while, Leon returning the gesture with wide, curious eyes. The legendary beast decided her companion was good enough and touched the hand he held out when it stepped near. She could tell he was about ready to burst with excitement.

" _This_ is Suicine, and they approve of you. They can sense you have a good heart," she grinned, nudging him.

"Zamazenta said the same thing. Guess I'm two-for-two. Oh! By the way, Zacian is doing great! And speaking of—both sent me with gifts!" he beamed, turning to Charizard to unhook two items from the belt hanging around his Pokémon's belly. He had packs to go with it, but the items in question were of very distinct shape. She couldn't help her gasp, already knowing full well what they were even before he unwrapped them.

Zacian's sword, and Zamazenta's shield. Both rusted like before.

"But... why? Don't they need these?"

"Don't worry, they're plenty strong even without them. They insisted I bring them with me. They basically said that... Um... it was something like that should we need them, just call, and they'll come. Or something like that."

"I think Zacian told me something similar before I left. I think it's like... like when we first found them?" she questioned, taking the sword gingerly in her hands. He stepped back to Charizard again, returning the shield and taking off the pack it'd been attached to. His Pokémon shook, happy to be free of the weight.

He nodded as he answered, "Yep. They're looking out for us in their own way."

"They're too good us," she chuckled, and brought the sword to be with its partner.

"She misses ya, you know, as do a lot of people in Galar—actually we need to do a video call so Mom and Hop know we're okay—but Zacian's been enjoying the Battle Tower. Gloria's making sure both her and Zama get to face as many trainers as they want. Hop's taken a stab at it a few times, although he's pretty deep into his professor studies and—."

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, Leon! We have plenty of time for all that. First, let your Pokémon out, alright? I bet they've been cramped in there and must be dying to see their friends again—er wait. Actually, did you get permission to bring them?"

He laughed, "Of course I did! They said I could bring them so long as they stay here at your Ranch and don't mingle with the native species. Come on out guys!"

The Pokémon she'd come to know and love as much as her own appeared in a flash, and she was quick to greet them all. They were overjoyed to see her again, relishing in her pets and rubs as they surrounded her. They shared some of their excitement with Suicine, though they were a bit more subdued, sensing the Pokémon's legendary presence. Her long-time companion took it well enough, though soon bid farewell; they had the lands to see to and ensure all was well now that its trainer was free of her weight. They left with as much grace as they returned, and again their Pokémon watched reverently. As soon as Suicine vanished, though, the new arrivals dispersed to their groups, with only Charizard remaining with its female counterpart. The two conversed, and suddenly hers grew ecstatic—perhaps remembering him from when she was just a Charmander. They exchanged spits of fire and lumbered off to be among themselves. It as a cute sight to see.

"So... this is the _real_ Ranch. Just... _wow_. It's incredible. So many different Pokémon living in harmony," he breathed, taking it all in slowly. His eyes fell on two markers underneath a tree at the end, and she followed his gaze. She made an "ah" in understanding and motioned for him to follow. It was an ordinary tree, and the markers were simple stone pillars on which writing had been etched. He read the names: Arcanine on one, N on the other. A collar had been set across the one for her Pokémon, a piece of charcoal embedded into the material. The one for her friend carried only a solemn, hopeful message for the future. Flowers had been recently left. Cassandra sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her at once.

"I miss Arc every day, and N, too. I never did find his body or Zekrom, despite the rumors Alder told me. The only thing waiting where they thought the dragon went was another, more ancient Pokémon I didn't dare disturb. It didn't feel right to not make N a grave, though, even if I couldn't find him. I considered places in Unova, but... I remembered how he'd always wished for a world where Pokémon lived in harmony, happy together, and I thought—why not the Ranch? I think it's a place he would have liked."

"I would take that bet. I mean, just look at it. All your Pokémon _and_ mine are happy here... and you know Arc is, too, being home," he explained, and she couldn't help tearing up some. He embraced her, letting her sniffle into his chest. She apologized, but he shook his head. "No, don't. They meant the world to you. It's okay to be sad about it."

"I'll always wish I did more, but... at the very least I gave his Zoroark a home," she smiled a little, and turned to motion to the two nearly identical dark-type Pokémon slumbering under another tree not far away. "They're brothers—from the same mother. She died protecting the egg that mine came from, and N somehow came across the other. In a way, those two helped bring us together and helped us get to understand one another. After N died, though... his Zoroark apparently had been wandering around the ruins of his castle. I think he was looking for him, not understanding why his friend was gone. When I went back to Unova, I found him. He had nowhere to go, so I offered him a place here with his brother. He accepted, and, well, all the more reason to make N's grave here, too. They both keep a watchful eye over it."

"You never cease to amaze me, you know that?" he replied softly, though his voice brimmed with pride. He grinned a moment later, "I read in their news you slammed through the Elite Four, too."

"Ha! Yes, I did, actually, so I'm finally an official Unova Champion."

"I knew you could do it," he beamed, and she understood what he meant. She couldn't help blushing, embarrassed by his unwavering confidence in her. For all her determination, she'd still had self-doubts when she returned, but he'd always knew she could do it, hadn't he?

"Thank-you, Leon," she replied, almost at a whisper, taking his hand gingerly. He returned her shyness was a firm grasp, entwining their fingers. She smiled more brightly, "So. How are things in Galar? What else have I missed?"

"Well, the opening ceremony for all the newly repaired gyms for one. It was _incredible!_ We had soooo many Gym Challengers! More trainers managed to make it through than usual, so it's going to be an intense Champion Cup, but there's no way Gloria will lose! So, she's making a great Champion, the Battle Tower is a hit, and... oh! Sonia and I made up finally. It took an actual full year I swear, what with all of us being busy, but we finally started talking again, and we're good."

"That's—good," she finished quickly, hating how jealousy spiked.

He went on, "Hop's one step closer to being a Professor on his own, although I'm not exactly sure what he wants to do—something to help Pokémon, I think? Your friend Silver and his Team Rescue left a bigger impression than I thought, so he might go more on the medical side? He might even make his own team at this rate! Whatever the case, he's just so brilliant and determined! I couldn't be prouder, and Mom is, too! She gushes over him every day I swear. She misses you, by the way! She would always ask about you and when you'd be coming back. She pestered me until I finally said I was visiting. And then, well there's... Oh, right! Galar is doing good! Hammerlocke is back to the way it was. Oh, man, Raihan was sooo excited to unveil his new gym! He posted about it—did you see it?

She nodded, and he laughed, "He was practically crying! It was so great. I wish you could have been there. But, anyways, things are peaceful again. Everyone's finally recovered from the battle and things are going great. I've even been able to go home a lot more to spend time with Mom. She's going to be so happy to see you even just by video call! Oh, I did tell her you promised to come visit—after we finished doing our own traveling."

"'We'? And 'traveling'" she mused, brow raised with a grin.

"Yes. _We_. And _yes,_ traveling! You think I'd come all this way to just sit around all day? And there's no way I'm going to go traveling on my own! I need someone to help keep me from getting lost! I'm pants with directions, remember?"

"Oh, right, how could I forget!" she guffawed, smacking her forehead lightly.

He grinned, "Exactly. But first I don't suppose we could get something to eat? Charizard and I are _starving._ "

"Oh! Of course. Actually, it's about lunch time now, and my parents were prepping a picnic. They should be here pretty soon."

"That's perfect. I mean, since I've already met your best friend... I should probably meet your parents, right? In person, anyways. Oh! We can do the video call them and have our parents meet!"

She laughed, "Yes to all of that—but first I have to check oooooone last thing."

"Oh?"

"Just a simple question," she grinned, brow quirked. "Tell me again who's the extra super-duper amazing, beautiful woman you're still hopelessly head-over-heels in love with?"

Leon was the one to laugh now, loudly, "Now _that's_ an easy one."

Not waiting for her reply, he released her hand to grab both side of her face and kiss her like he had in the Weald so long ago, only a lot less awkward and a lot surer. She happily kissed back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

They laughed all the way back to the Ranch house, and even long until her parents arrived to meet the infamous "boyfriend" Leon in person and not just through a phone video feed. And just like back then, her mother's squeals could be hear all the way to Cainwood City across the bay.

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**TMWolf:** Just the epilogue remaining with the lovers reunited at long last, happier, healthier, and ready to take on new challenges in life :)


	21. Epilogue

Leon rumbled happily as he woke from his slumber, reaching over to the other side of the bed. He expected to find Cassandra's warm form waiting for him, but only met empty air and lukewarm sheets. He opened his eyes to frown, puzzled. Last he recalled, he'd embraced the love of his life after a thorough round of love-making and fallen asleep after a long day of meeting her parents and then video-calling his own family. That, of course, had been a joyous occasion. He was elated to find that, not only did both of her parents still like him despite waiting so long to "come for their daughter", but his brother and mother got along great with Cassandra's folks. Frankly, if he didn't know any better, he'd say their parents were already expecting a wedding. A bit too soon, but it wasn't like he hadn't considered it lately. After all, he didn't see himself being with anyone else in his life, and they'd been together technically for over a year. Long distance, sure, but he'd held no one else in his heart, and now he could be with her for real.

At least, if he could figure out where she'd slipped off to. He grumbled as he sat up, stretching his limbs a bit. It had a been a long trip to get to Johto, although it had been more than worth it. He glanced around the large bedroom, one of three that had been built into the Ranch's home. This was the master, tough, the other two set up for day care workers when she was gone. Since she was home, though, they were empty, and her parents stayed in their own abode just a few miles down the dirt road to New Bark Town. As such, they'd been given their privacy, and he found he quite liked the aesthetic of the Johto region. It wasn't quite as lavish or grand as Galar, but it was homely. It was definitely a different culture, one he would eventually get used to—except maybe sitting on his knees. He didn't know how his lover and her family could stand it and not have their legs fall asleep every fine minutes. Johto-jin were something else, that was for sure.

Yawning—it was past midnight now—he glanced to the door, and as luck would have it, his lover appeared. Her radiant red hair was down and a little disheveled, and she wore only a shirt. _His_ shirt that exposed the entirety of her collar and one shoulder, and fell just barely to her thighs. Needlessly to say he was thoroughly aroused and would have gladly gone another round of ravaging her right then and there, but the light of her phone—thank Arceus he convinced her to buy the upgrade—and her moving finger told him she was reading. She was engrossed enough to not give him much mind as she returned to bed, lying on her stomach. Naturally, his hand found its way to her back, slipping under the shirt to gently trace up and down, making sure to find the scars he admired—and her rump.

She giggled when he squeezed and gave him a look.

He just grinned and motioned to the phone, "What's got you so enamored over _moi?"_

 _"_ Oh, hush, don't get jealous now. We _just_ had sex a few hours ago," she snickered and shifted so he could see the browser she had up. "I saw I had an e-mail from the League when I went to the bathroom. It was pretty lengthy so I checked it on my laptop. Turns out they have a job available."

"A job? Like what? And where?" he frowned, peering at the images. They were of a region he didn't recognize, although that list included anything besides Johto and Galar, and even then he was still iffy on the former.

"Kalos. It's about three to four days from here by ship, a little longer by bird. The League's gotten word of... trouble."

"'Trouble'. Like... the brothers trouble or Team Rocket trouble? What's the scale here?"

"Sounds like maybe Team Rocket, but they're not sure. A Professor... Sycamore? Yeah, that sounds right. He's the one asking. Actually, it's two things. He's working on some research into a phenomenon unique to Kalos—something about a _Mega_ evolution? It sounds amazing, but he also asked for _discreet_ help from the League about looking into some strange activity going on with 'nefarious characters'. We won't get anymore specifics unless we accept...

Leon couldn't stop a grin, "Sounds like some crazy organization is at it again."

"Considering the track record I've seen... Yes, yes it does," she grinned back.

"So. When do we head out?"

"'We'?"

"Uh, duh. There's no way I'm not going. Not only are you _my_ woman, which means I'm going to make sure you stay safe and help you out, but I want to see new places, too. Not to mention, I'm _also_ a Champion, and therefore League representative, so it's fine, right?" he replied with a grin, to which she nodded with a laugh. He was _technically_ right, anyways, so he shrugged, "I originally wanted to start with Johto since it's your home, but, well... I think it'll be fun exploring a new region together. Er... You _haven't_ explored Kalos, right?"

"Nope! It's why I've been going through their Pokedex database, seeing who we can take with us, and I have good news: we can bring our Charizards!" she laughed, raising her hand up for a high-five. He laughed, too, and returned it, though entwined their fingers so he could roll her over. She giggled as he snatched her phone, scrolling through the database she'd pulled up while he used her as a pillow.

"Hmm I see you can bring Pidgeot, too... and Gallade and ooh I can bring Doublade! I can't believe it! Oh man and Haxorus! Ha! At this rate we won't even need to catch all these new ones."

"But we definitely should. I plan to only bring Charizard and maybe one more that I haven't used in a while. That way I can catch a handful of new Pokemon. There's a lot of interesting ones there after all. Like look at that Chespin? It's one their super rare Pokemon but maybe we can find one if Sycamore doesn't have any? Or look at the poison-dragon type there, Dragalge. How great of a combo is that? Or ooh, that Tyrantrum is so cool! Ha! Raihan's gonna flip when he sees these new dragon types!"

"Oh I bet. There really are some cool ones. So, for real, when do we leave, babe?"

"'Babe'?" she mused, testing the word. "I like it. And to answer your question, _babe_... as soon as we want. Although, I'd say let's give it a week so my parents can dote on you a lot more and give your team time to get acclimated here."

"Sounds like a plan to me. Although, can you tell your mom to tone it down on the hugs? She's got one crazy squeeze! I think I almost died back there."

"Comes with being a former competitive power lifter. Did I forget to mention?" Cassandra smirked playfully.

"Yes, you _did._ Although, explains her Machamp and Primeape," he mused, settling down so his chin was resting on her breast. Her hands ran through his hair gently, much to his enjoyment. "I'd like my team to get used to being here, too, since they'll have to stay. It's going to be weird having new Pokemon after so long."

"Trust me, it's worth it. You find so many new companions and you bring new friends home to your older teams."

"Man, I can't wait to head out—traveling a whole brand new region with you! It's going to be one heck of a champion time."

"Oh my Arceus—did you _really_ just use your catch phrase?" she laughed, and he only grinned as he turned off her phone's screen and set it on the night stand. He growled playfully as he sat up and kissed her and then her jawline and neck where he nipped playfully.

"Yes, I did. And I think you need some punishment for laughing at my favorite phrase," he rumbled, and by her moan he knew she had no objections. "Now then... as much as I _love_ seeing you in my shirt... I much prefer it off."

"Round two already?" she mused right on back, but pulled off his top and tossed it aside. He was all too happy to admire her gorgeous, naked body. She snickered, "I suppose we do have a lot of time to make up for. I was practically starved by the time you got here."

"Well then, allow me to rectify that error," he purred and kissed her again, hands roaming. Pleasure was soon their companion, and if she had doubted him earlier or their first round, she was sure of it now.

Leon was still in love with her, and, now they would be doing a lot more than sharing a bed together. They had a whole new region and a very large, vast world filled with Pokemon and new experiences to explore. There were certain to be new dangers, but also countless new, amazing things waiting for them out there. They weren't afraid, though. No, together, they knew they could accomplish anything and everything.

In time, of course. One week or perhaps two. Maybe even three if they wanted.

Whatever the case, until the day they set out, they were content to share in their love and passion, knowing everything would be alright so long as they had each other.

Life, after all, was just one crazy adventure.

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_In another, colder land....._

A Nosepass wandered through the aged landscape, it's blue body and red nose standing out glaringly against the tanned-colored marble as opposed to the darker mountain face surrounding it. It twiddled this way and that around broken spires with flat edges, situated in a circular form. Some were taller than other, broken half way up in jagged edges; while others were worn to the rounded nub. Even the cobblestones beneath the Pokemon's feat had aged well beyond their years, and the only true piece in tact looked to be the square-shaped indent upon which a triangular symbol sat. 

It mattered little to the Nosepass, which merely wished to cross tot he other side of the mountain as it had done for many years now. It had a vague memory of fear once long ago in this place; a hazy remembrance of some terrible aura that terrified it and its brothers. That had been a long,long time ago, though, and there had only been a still, calm silence atop the mountain ever seen. As such, the Nosepass gladly crossed the strange rock, which, despite its wear and tear, was still smoother than the boulders and had a different scent and taste—one it cared little for and so only used the strange place that smelled of human still to cross when it so desired.

It was but another day in the quiet evenings atop the mountain, its home and place of birth. 

Then there was a crack—like thunder after lightning. 

The Nosepass flinched, startled, and turned to face the center of the area; its eyes narrowed. Storms were not so common here, not with rain. Snow, certainly, but lightning was a stranger, and the Pokemon had felt lightning before from strange, unknown Pokemon that came wandering through with humans sometimes. This was different, though. In the wake of the echoes, an immense pressure fell over the place. The Nosepass rumbled uneasily, eyes focused on the triangular indent—or rather, the empty air above it.

Only, it wasn't truly empty. No; when it peered closer there was something there. Even in just the moonlight, it could make out a blackness--a thing line, like a fracture in the air. It was strange and unnatural and filled the Pokemon with fear. It wanted to run, but could not bring itself to move, frozen to the spot. It could only watch as the crack slowly, but surely began to widen, and a dark fog escaped it with a low hiss. The pressure was worse, but still the frightened Pokemon could not move as a shadowy mass began to push through.

It was shapeless—at first—as it emerged; hissing and crackling and slowly drawing towards the ground. It was slow and almost like it struggling to pull through, and the seconds drew by agonizingly slow until, at last, the mass dropped with a an odd thud, like splashing into a sticky fluid. It was still for a moment, and then rose up, slowly taking shape. From the blackness, two legs formed to carry the rest of the mass, followed by two arms, a torso, and a head. It was a shape the Nosepass knew: a human. 

"At.... lassst...." the mass croaked, voice slurring and coarse as the final shape took form. Even as the last of the shadows dulled, revealing pale skin, it was almost impossible to fully make out the human, only that they wore dark clothes and had dark hair on their scalp. Nosepass watched as the human turned to face the crack. A low, almost guttural sound of frustration came from its lips. "I know... it was not enough..."

There was a pause, as if listening to something.

"Then the brothers failed. Are you surprised? I told you it was foolish to entrust the—" the human snorted, then flinched, grasping at its head as if in pain. It lasted only a few moments and then the human was released, groaning. "My... apologies. I am as frustrated as you are. I wish to see the subjugation of this world, too."

Again, a pause.

"Yes, I suppose they did succeed in that at least. But it's just a crack. You need more to return, do you not?" the human continued, pausing to listen. "Then what do you propose? The brothers clearly failed. It is not hard to deduce we can no longer use the Galarian Particles as planned.

They went quiet, then spoke again, "A device? Where? Who?"

The human hummed as it listened, rubbing its chin.

"I know the location, and vaguely the man. But I cannot do this alone. I will need Pokemon. Ones stronger than what I had before," the human grumbled, which was met with a hiss from the crack. 

Like before, a shadow mass began to emerge and dropped down to the ground. The human stepped back as it took shape, forming a bipedal creature with a large lower abdomen supported by legs standing on two, thick toes, thin torso with long, thinner arms with three fingers, and a long, sinuous tail. Its eyes, when opened, flared red, and its skin was a obsidian black. It stood taller than the human, coming a few inches over their head. The Nosepass sensed it was a Pokemon, immensely powerful, yet strange, and _wrong_. It should not be that way.

It stared blankly at the human, which laughed, "Oh... Oh yes... This will do nicely. I will see your work done. And unlike those foolish brothers, I won't fail."

Another pause followed, both human and shadowy Pokemon looking to the crack.

"You will have your freedom soon," the human replied, bowing their head politely, and then turned to the strange Pokemon. "Ironic, isn't it? You escaped me once, and now here you are... mine once more. It seems your naivety got the best of you. Well, then. It's time. Teleport us to Lumiose City. We have a man we need to speak with."

The Pokemon said nothing, only raising a hand that glowed with a dark, pale light that soon enveloped them both. One second they were there, and then they were gone.

The Nosepass collapsed down to its legs, the pressure suddenly less. It wasn't totally gone, though; some still spilled out from the crack in the air, the black haze slowly frothing from it. It had abated enough, though, for the Pokemon to scrambled back up and sprint away to the safety of the mountain, never to transgress here again. 

And in the dark, a pair of red eyes glowed.   
  
  
  
  


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** CHAMPION'S SWORD, GALAR'S SHIELD **

THE END

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_(one of my first CSP drawings, I'm much better now LOL)_

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 **TMWolf:** _And that's the end._

_...FOR NOW._

_Leon and Cassandra will be back!_

_Prepare for an all new adventure with new Pokemon, new friends, and old enemies in Kalos!_

_Thanks so much to everyone who read, gave kudos, and commented on my story! Y'all make it that much more enjoyable, and I hope you'll be up for Leon and Cassandra's next adventure because the stakes are getting raised! :) I hope to start writing it soon, but for now I'm still focusing on the outline for things. In the meantime, you can find a LOT of Casseon and (Leon x Cas x Raiahn, v-poly) content on my tumblr, instagram, or twitter! (t-m-wolf, tmwolf93, TMWolf93)_

_Until the next installment is posted! :)_


	22. Sequel

Forgot to state this when I first published, but the sequel, _ Life's Requiem, Death's Caterwaul_ is now up! Cassandra and Leon's journey continues! :)

Have a read to see how things will play out! Also ready yourselves for a relationship change... one those who follow me on my social media/art accounts will know ;) Let's just say Raihan is going to be more involved...

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28446306

Check it out and enjoy! :D


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